I still remember my first taste of zucchini. Sort of.
We were probably seven or eight when a childhood friend’s mom presented us with warm muffins and challenged us to guess the main ingredient. But neither of us could escape the perfectly married flavors of sugar, cinnamon and other spices to even venture a guess. I’d heard of this member of the Cucurbita pepo family, when I stuffed down my first zucchini muffin but couldn’t fathom how a green summer squash could make a muffin taste like it belonged in the dessert section at Luby’s Cafeteria.
Over the years, in the South anyway, zucchini emerged onto the food scene at a pace similar to what quinoa has done more recently. It started showing up everywhere — in cakes, muffins, stir fries, on appetizer menus and too many others to remember. Fact is, zucchini’s mild flavor makes it an outstanding candidate to take on the flavors of just about any course or cuisine.
Zucchini stuffed Esquites is a homecoming of sorts for the common green squash. Though Italian horticulturists developed many of the fruit varieties that we commonly refer to as zucchini, the plant is actually rooted in Central America. Esquites is the off-the-cob version of Elote, a popular Mexican street corn, and is traditionally served in cups.
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Esquites stuffed Zucchini
Esquites stuffed Zucchini — There’s plenty of zesty zing in this Mexican-Italian fusion.
- 4 - Medium (6-8 inch) Zucchini squash, washed
- 2 cups - Fresh or thawed (frozen) corn
- 4 TB - Mayonnaise
- 1 TB - Fresh Cilantro, finely chopped
- 3 tsp - Chile powder (preferably Ancho)
- Zest and juice from one lime (You'll squeeze the juice over the finished dish.)
- Queso fresco, Feta or Goat cheese crumbles
- Cut zucchini squash in half lengthwise; using a spoon, gently scoop out the pulp*, leaving about ½-inch of thickness along the walls of the fruit.
- Combine corn, mayonnaise, cilantro, chile powder and lime zest in a bowl.
- On a parchment-line baking sheet, cook stuffed zucchini in a 350F oven until soft, about 20 minutes.
- Place zucchini directly on the grill or on a grill plate and cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes.
- Squeeze fresh lime juice over the cooked Esquites stuffed Zucchini and garnish with crumbled cheese.