Seasonal goodies.

On these hot, humid, summer days, I am reminded of my early years back in East Los Angeles at my grandmother's house, where the kitchen was always buzzing with flavors and aromas of her Durango, Mexico origins. Vegetables were plentiful on the house menu, and tomatoes and squash were always in abundance.

One of her staples was a succotash and cheese combination that I have not made since who knows when, yet the recipe still bounces around in my head: I can still smell it as if she were right here. The beauty of this recipe is that it doesn't take a lot of time to make. so you can forgo slaving too long in a hot kitchen. In addition to being delicious, summer squashes are high in Vitamin A. Potassium and Zinc and are recommended for people taking medication for high blood pressure.

Another staple in the Martinez home was flesh salsa, from the simple salsa casera (house salsa), to my cousin's raging red-hot salsa, which she made for a church function and I affectionately called "Ofelia's Revenge." But seeing that tomatoes are in order. I will divulge my idea of a good basic tomato salsa. which according to your taste you can leave chunky or puree slightly with a kitchen wand or food processor. I have found over the years that Roma tomatoes have much more flavor than pole grown or hothouse tomatoes. And according to some Italian chefs, roma tomatoes are cousins to San Marzano tomatoes that grew in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius outside the city of Pompeii. Their elongated structure makes them easy to work with in preparation. They are also a great source for Vitamin A and Potassium.

Finally, there is a need for drinks with all this great food, to which I suggest refreshing blueberry lemonade, a high source of antioxidants.

Robert Martinez has worked in foodservice for sixteen of his 37 years, though cooking has been a passion of his since age seven. Robert has worked in mostly Italian cuisine but has also dabbled in French, Thai and Chinese. He has been with Greenlife Grocery's kitchen for over a year and has made Asheville his home for almost six years.

Mexican Succotash

2 large zucchini, peeled and cut into half moons
3 yellow crooked neck squash, cut into half moons
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
1 large red pepper, diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, sautee the onions and
garlic in the butter or oil until caramelized, and then add the corn,
red pepper and squashes. Lower the heat to low and cover for
about 7 to 10 minutes until squashes are tender but still firm.
Stir in cheese and return to covered heat for about a minute or
so, until the cheese is melted throughout. Serves about 4 to 6,
depending on whether it's a side or an entree. You can also use
frozen or canned corn and peppers if you are in a hurry or don't
have fresh corn or peppers on hand.

Pico De Gallo / Salsa Casera

12 to 15 roma tomatoes
1 large Spanish or Vidalia onion,
  finely diced (heat vs. sweet,
  you decide) 1 bunch of cilantro,
  finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 to 3 jalapeno peppers, tops cut
  off, quartered, and then diced
  according to taste preference.
  (Herein lies the secret to heat
  control: if you want it spicy,
  leave the seeds in; if not,
  remove the seeds and the veins which appear almost white on
  the inside of the pepper wall.)
Juice of one lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut all roots and aromatics first and place in an airtight container
so that the gasses released after cutting incorporate with each
other while you're cutting the tomatoes. When cutting the
tomatoes, using a serrated knife, cut the tops off, split down the
middle, lay the two halves flat on the cutting board with the top
end facing each other, split again, turn a quarter turn then slice
across the quartered tomato in 1/8 inch cuts to make the chunky
texture needed to start with.

Place tomatoes in a medium mixing bowl, add the root and
aromatics to the bowl along with the final four ingredients and
mix with a spoon at first, then depending on the consistency you
are looking for, you can either leave it be or process it to almost
liquid form.

As a variation, you may also take this same recipe, simmer it slow
in a medium saucepan and add 1 cup of shredded Cheddar or
Monterey Jack and melt it in to make "Chile con Queso" for dipping.

Blueberry Lemonade

1 pint blueberries,
1 1/2 cups lemon juice
1 1/2 cups evaporated cane
  juice (or substitute honey,
  maple syrup or your favorite
  sweetener)
1 gallon cold, purified water

Puree blueberries and lemon
juice in blender, adding
sweetener to make base. Then
in a large container, add cold water to base till you get the flavor
you want. Enjoy!