HUNGRY GERALD

Calabacitas is the vegetable dish BSK creates when that excellent home cook wants to give a Mexican flavor to a dinner of pork chops or grilled chicken. BSK heats olive oil and sautees zucchini, red peppers, corn, onions and garlic. This gets a dusting of the magical, secret ingredient of all good kitchens — Goya Adobo powder. If the mood hits her, BSK will add (for a bit of heat and savory smokiness) a jolt of Spanish smoked paprika. A tip: BSK always uses Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn niblets in cooked dishes. Fresh corn, while delicious off the cob, is wasted when cooked as part of a larger dish. If you want to forgo the chops and enjoy Calabacitas as a solo meal, here’s HG’s suggestion (nice while watching football or basketball on the TV): After the calabacitas is cooked, top it with lots of shredded Monterey Jack (or sharp cheddar cheese) and lower the heat until the cheese melts. Open a can of chipotle peppers and a jar of picante salsa. Warm tortillas. Tuck some calabacitas in the tortilla. Ramp up the heat with chipotles or salsa (or both). Mix up some Micheladas (Clamato and Corona beer served on ice with slices of lime in a salt rimmed glass). Roll up your tortilla and have fun. Go Broncos!!!

Every summer HG manages to consume many cans of Clamato, the pleasant clam & tomato juice product found in supermarkets. It is the perfect ingredient for a Michelada, the simple, refreshing drink much favored in Mexico. To prepare, mix Clamato with beer. Add lime (or lemon) juice. Hot sauce to taste. Dash of Worcestershire (optional). Pour over ice. If you want to get a little fancy, rim the glass with salt (as you would with a Margarita). There are no rules for proportions (more or less beer, hot sauce etc.). Fashion your individual, hand crafted Michelada however you like. When HG wants a lighter pre-dinner tipple, HG pours a small can of Clamato over ice, adds a shot of vodka plus hot sauce and lemon juice. Voila!! An acceptable Bloody Mary.