Calabacitas rellenas – courgettes stuffed with sweetcorn and cheese in tomato broth

Ingredients for 4 portions

• 1.2 kgCourgette, about 4 courgettes
• 2 tbspRapeseed oil
• ½Yellow onion, chopped
• 1 cloveGarlic, chopped
• 1Serrano chile, deseeded, chopped
• 200 gSweetcorn
• 1Tomato, chopped
• to tasteSalt
• to tasteBlack pepper
• 150 gQueso fresco, crumbled
• 150 gChihuahua cheese, grated
• 4Tomatoes, for the broth
• ½Yellow onion, for the broth
• 1 cloveGarlic, for the broth
• ≈ 250 mlWater
• 1 tbspRapeseed oil, for the broth
• 100 mlMexican crema

On the side

• 8Corn tortillas

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200 °C. Halve the courgettes lengthways and scoop them out with a teaspoon, leaving a 1 cm shell. Chop the scooped-out flesh.
2. Blanch the hollowed courgettes in boiling salted water for 4 minutes, just to soften them slightly, and drain them upside down.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion, garlic and chilli for 3 minutes. Add the chopped courgette flesh, sweetcorn and tomato, season with salt and pepper and cook for 7 minutes, until almost all the liquid has cooked away.
4. Take the pan off the heat and stir the queso fresco into the filling.
5. Fill the courgette halves, put them in an ovenproof dish and scatter over the grated cheese.
6. Bake for 18 minutes, until the cheese has melted and browned.
7. Meanwhile, make the tomato broth: blend the tomatoes with the onion, garlic and water. Heat the oil in a pan, pour in the blended tomato (careful, it spits), season with salt and simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Warm the tortillas in a dry frying pan and wrap them in a tea towel.
9. Ladle the tomato broth into shallow bowls, set the stuffed courgettes in it and drizzle over a little crema. Serve with the tortillas.

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