A Cornucopia of crops!
at Maxwell's Farm, Alewives Brook Farm & W.H. Jordan Farm
Whats's Fresh by Annie Upton
There are so many delicious options available now at our farms that I
have decided it is impossible to focus on just one or two. Instead, the
theme this week is on usual and unusual ways to use some of these
vegetables in recipes that have a Mexican twist. And, when corn
comes in, what a delightful compliment to this weeks’ taste treats.
Read more......
at Maxwell's Farm, Alewives Brook Farm & W.H. Jordan Farm
Whats's Fresh by Annie Upton
There are so many delicious options available now at our farms that I
have decided it is impossible to focus on just one or two. Instead, the
theme this week is on usual and unusual ways to use some of these
vegetables in recipes that have a Mexican twist. And, when corn
comes in, what a delightful compliment to this weeks’ taste treats.
Read more......
| What's in Season? Just about everything! BASIL, BEETS, BROCCOLI, BLUEBERRIES, CARROTS CAULIFOWER, CILANTATRO, CUCUMBERS, GREEN BEANS, LETTUCES, LOCAL CHEESES, ONIONS, OREGANO, PEAS, PEPPERS, POTATOES, RADISHES, RASPBERRIES, SAGE, SPINACH, SWISS CHARD, SUMMER SQUASH, TARRAGON, THYME, TOMATOES, YELLOW BEANS, ZUCCHINI… |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Cape Farm Alliance Ensuring Cape Elizabeth's Farming Future |
| Peas |
| Strawberries July |
| Lettuce |
| Parsnips April |
| Asparagus May |
| Rhubarb June |
| Spinach June |
Swiss Chard Tamales (Tamales De Acelgas)
(Adapted From The Art of Mexican Cooking, by Diana Kennedy, 1989, Bantam Books.)
Makes about 24 Tamales
Meat for the filling:
1 1/2 lbs pork with some fat cut into 1" cubes
1/2 white onion, roughly sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled
3 peppercorns
1 tsp salt or to taste
Seasoning for the filling:
2 tablespoons lard or safflower oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
4 small tomatoes finely chopped, unpeeled
1 1/2 tablespoons roughly chopped almonds
2 heaping tablespoons raisins
5 Serrano chilies, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chili juice
sea salt to taste
The Tamales:
24 large Swiss chard leaves, plus additional leaves for lining steamer
1 lb Masa Harina (corn flour available in most grocery stores, Mexican foods section.)
5 tablespoons lard
sea salt to taste
1/2-cup warm broth from the meat, approximately
first prepare the meat for the filling. Put the pork, onion, garlic, peppercorns, and salt into a pan, cover
with water, and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering until the meat is tender but not too soft--about
25 minutes. Set aside to cool off in the broth for about 15 minutes, then drain, reserving the broth.
When the meat is cool enough to handle, shred and then chop it roughly. Strain the broth and set aside.
Heat the lard, add the onion and garlic, and fry over medium heat for about 2 minutes--they must not
brown. Add the tomatoes and fry for 5 minutes more, until reduced. Add the chopped meat, almonds,
raisins, chilies, chili juice, and 2/3 cup of the reserved broth and cook over fairly high heat, stirring and
scraping the bottom of the pan until the mixture is almost dry and shiny--about 10 minutes. Season and
set aside to cool.
Rinse the Swiss chard leaves well and trim off the stalks up to the base of the leaves. Blanch each one
for only 2 seconds in boiling water to soften. Set aside to drain and cool.
Fill the bottom of a steamer with water and put in a few coins so that they will rattle when the water is
boiling. Line the top of the steamer with the extra leaves and put over low heat while you prepare the
tamales.
Beat the masa, lard, and salt and broth together well--about 5 minutes. Spread one heaping tablespoon
of the dough thinly over the center of the prepared leaves. Spread another tablespoon of meat filling
over it and double the leaves over. Lay the tamales in horizontal layers in the top of the steamer,
sprinkling each layer lightly with salt. Cover the top of the tamales with another layer of leaves, a cloth
and the lid. Cook for about 1 hour. Test by splitting one of the tamales open; the dough must be
cooked through.
Freezes well. What a great way to use Swiss chard!
(Adapted From The Art of Mexican Cooking, by Diana Kennedy, 1989, Bantam Books.)
Makes about 24 Tamales
Meat for the filling:
1 1/2 lbs pork with some fat cut into 1" cubes
1/2 white onion, roughly sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled
3 peppercorns
1 tsp salt or to taste
Seasoning for the filling:
2 tablespoons lard or safflower oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
4 small tomatoes finely chopped, unpeeled
1 1/2 tablespoons roughly chopped almonds
2 heaping tablespoons raisins
5 Serrano chilies, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chili juice
sea salt to taste
The Tamales:
24 large Swiss chard leaves, plus additional leaves for lining steamer
1 lb Masa Harina (corn flour available in most grocery stores, Mexican foods section.)
5 tablespoons lard
sea salt to taste
1/2-cup warm broth from the meat, approximately
first prepare the meat for the filling. Put the pork, onion, garlic, peppercorns, and salt into a pan, cover
with water, and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering until the meat is tender but not too soft--about
25 minutes. Set aside to cool off in the broth for about 15 minutes, then drain, reserving the broth.
When the meat is cool enough to handle, shred and then chop it roughly. Strain the broth and set aside.
Heat the lard, add the onion and garlic, and fry over medium heat for about 2 minutes--they must not
brown. Add the tomatoes and fry for 5 minutes more, until reduced. Add the chopped meat, almonds,
raisins, chilies, chili juice, and 2/3 cup of the reserved broth and cook over fairly high heat, stirring and
scraping the bottom of the pan until the mixture is almost dry and shiny--about 10 minutes. Season and
set aside to cool.
Rinse the Swiss chard leaves well and trim off the stalks up to the base of the leaves. Blanch each one
for only 2 seconds in boiling water to soften. Set aside to drain and cool.
Fill the bottom of a steamer with water and put in a few coins so that they will rattle when the water is
boiling. Line the top of the steamer with the extra leaves and put over low heat while you prepare the
tamales.
Beat the masa, lard, and salt and broth together well--about 5 minutes. Spread one heaping tablespoon
of the dough thinly over the center of the prepared leaves. Spread another tablespoon of meat filling
over it and double the leaves over. Lay the tamales in horizontal layers in the top of the steamer,
sprinkling each layer lightly with salt. Cover the top of the tamales with another layer of leaves, a cloth
and the lid. Cook for about 1 hour. Test by splitting one of the tamales open; the dough must be
cooked through.
Freezes well. What a great way to use Swiss chard!
| CAPE FARM ALLIANCE CAPE FARM ALLIANCE CAPE FARM ALLIANCE CAPE FARM ALLIANCE CAPE FARM ALLIANCE CAPE FARM ALLIANCE CAPE FARM |
| Tomatoes |
| Squash |
