Bowl of Colache
(click to enlarge)

Colache


Cali-Mex
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 3-3/4 #
***
1-3/4 hrs
Yes		 An amazing vegie dish you can serve with pride, even when the vegetarians you invited didn't show up (not unusual). It's a California take on a recipe from the Mexican Pacific states (see Comments).

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Winter Squash (1)  
Onion
Garlic
Bell Pepper
Green Chili (2)
Tomatoes, ripe
Green Beans
Corn Kernels (3)
Chili Powder (4)
Butter, or (5)
Broth (6)
Salt
Pepper
PREP   -   (1 hr)
  1. Scoop seed mass out of SQUASH, peel, and cut into 1 inch cubes. Weight is for cut cubes.
  2. Quarter ONION lengthwise and slice thin crosswise. Crush GARLIC and chop small. Mix.
  3. (Optional) blast BELL PEPPER and GREEN CHILI black with your Kitchen Torch and brush off skins under running water. I always do this.
  4. Cap Bell Pepper and Green Chili. Remove seed mass, and veins from both. Cut both into 1/2 inch squares. Mix.
  5. Scald TOMATOES one minute in boiling water. Chill in cold water, peel and chop very coarse. Mix with Bell Pepper.
  6. Tip and tail GREEN BEANS and cut into 1 inch lengths. Mix with Bell Pepper.
  7. Prepare CORN KERNELS as needed. Mix with Bell Pepper.
RUN   -   (40 min)
  1. In a spacious sauté pan (3-1/2 quart minimum) or similar coverable pan, melt Butter. Stir in Squash and fry stirring over moderate heat for about 5 minutes, tumbling often.
  2. Stir in Onion mix and fry stirring often for about another 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in Bell Pepper mix and Chili Powder until well mixed.
  4. Stir in Broth, Salt, and Pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat until Green Beans are just crisp tender. Critical to not overcook if making ahead for reheating - there will be additional cooking while cooling and while reheating.
  5. Served hot or warm. For buffet, reheat and place into a slow cooker or electric skillet set to "keep warm".

  1. Winter Squash:

      Weight is after scraping out seed mass and peeling. I prefer Castile Squash (Mexican, widely available in Southern California) or Kabocha (more widely available), but other Winter Squash can be used. See also Comments. For details on Squash see our Squash page.

  2. Green Chili:

      This should be a large, mild Green chili, such as Anaheim or New Mexico. I use Poblano which is tasty, but often a touch hotter than Anaheim. For details see our Mexican Chilis page.

  3. Corn Kernels:

      In preference: Fresh, Canned, Frozen. 1-1/2 cups is about what you get from a 14 oz can of Corn Kernels.

  4. Chili Powder:

      Here is where you control the heat. If serving guests who's chili tolerance I don't know, I use 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo Extra Hot, which is not very hot. With this, the chili bite is just detectable. Use your own best judgement. For details see our Chili Powder & Flake page.

  5. Butter or:

      Lard would be more Mexican, or Bacon Drippings more Midwest American. Use whichever you please. If you want it Vegan, use Avocado Oil (best) or Olive Oil.

  6. Broth:

      I usually make it vegetarian. The broth I use is one cup water and 1 teaspoon Vegeta. Otherwise Chicken Broth can be used, which could also be made with a teaspoon of Chicken Powder or a bouillon cube.

  7. Comments:

      Colache is a squash stew popular in the Mexican Pacific states: Baja, Sonora, Sinola, and Jalisco. It has been adopted in California and the US Southwest. In Mexico it is made from Calabacito (small Summer Squash), commonly Mexican / Mediterranean Squash. Most Internet recipes call for Calabacito Italiana (Zucchini) which is more widely available in much of North America. About a quarter of the recipes make it as a soup. If using a Summer Squash, it goes into the pan with the Bell Pepper mix.

    The pattern recipe referenced here (from Sonoma, California) specifically calls for "Pumpkin or Winter Squash". Halloween Pumpkin (C. pepo) is not real good for cooking - commercial Pumpkin Pie filling is made from a light tan winter Dickinson squash (C. mochata). Outside the United States "Pumpkin" means something entirely different: Castile Squash (Mexico, C. mochata) or something like Kabocha (worldwide C. maxima).

  8. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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