Every country should have a Diana Kennedy, someone steeped in its culture and cooking who cruises around recording all the local recipes and sharing them with the world. My Mexico is Kennedy's rambling record of forays in pursuit of dishes that might be of interest. Based on the recipes she found, such as Posole de Camarone, a brothy shrimp and dried-corn stew, sweet Green Mango Roll, and tiny new potatoes cooked Shepherd style, Kennedy's travels have been quite fruitful.
This is my all-out favorite dish. Even without the cream and cheese it makes a delicious vegetable side dish; if you include all the rich things and serve it in individual gratin dishes, it makes a wonderful first course or main vegetarian course. I have modified the traditional recipe by cooking the mushrooms separately so that the flavor is intensified. The small tender clavitos (Leophyllum decastes), literally “little nails,” known as fried chicken mushrooms in the United States, are my preferred mushroom for this recipe, but any small, juicy mushroom can be substituted.
Servings: 4-6
3 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 heaped tablespoons finely chopped white onion
1 large poblano chile, charred, peeled, seeds and veins removed, and cut into narrow strips
salt to taste
1 pound (450 g) zucchini or other green squashy cut into 1/4-inch (7-mm) cubes, about 3 cups plus 1/2 rounded cup (890 ml)
1/2 pound (225 g) mushrooms (see note above)1 rinsed and shaken dry and cut into 3/4 inch (2 cm) pieces
1/2 cup (125 ml) loosely packed coarsely chopped cilantro
4 ounces (115 g) queso fresco or Muenster, thinly sliced
1/2 to 3/4 cup (125 to 188 ml) crème fraiche
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet, add the onion and chile strips with a sprinkle of salt, and cook without browning for about 1 minute.
Add the squash, cover the pan, and cook over medium heat, shaking the pan from time to time to prevent sticking, until the squash almost tender - about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss the mushrooms in the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil, sprinkle with salt, and stir-fry in another pan for about minutes or until the juice that exudes has become almost gelatinous.
Stir the mushrooms into the squash. Sprinkle the cilantro over the vegetables, then cover with the cheese and cream. Cover the pan and cook over gentle heat for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
