Panamanian "Rojo" Lemons a.k.a Seville or Bitter Oranges

I have to say that in most ways I prefer the Panamanian Lemons or sometimes called Rojos or Limon Chino. Technically, they are Seville Oranges or sometimes called Bitter Oranges.

They are amazingly juicy, very easy to squeeze and have a nice strong lemon flavor. They do not seem to have as much acid as Persian (Yellow) Lemons. I have to admit, I am a bit of a hog with them. I simply can not wait until they are in full season. They are vital in my everyday cooking as well as in homemade sauces, especially for Orange Marmalade, which is made from this type of Orange, not ordinary eating Oranges.

We also use them for drinks.

The Ullama Jungle

 Ullama is not watery, but rich and delicious in flavor and have a creamier texture. So I brought one in and baked it. Wow. I was impressed. I found it to be a sort of cross between a small eating pumpkin and an acorn squash.

A quick mention of the health benefits here. They are orange, so that means lots of those wonderful carotenes, which fight cancer, vitamins C and B1 and folic acid, which is great for skin and hair. I am always pushing the leafy dark greens. So now lets add some orange, next is reds when the beets get big. I do not always understand all of the small details on healthful eating, such as all of the names of this that and the other thing that I should be chasing to add into my diet, but I do know one thing is true, lots of natural, bright colorful foods in your diet is just a good idea....and fun.

Ullama uncut, as with any winter type squash, will last for months if it is stored in a coolish place out of direct sun. Cut, it will last a week, maybe a bit more in the fridge, as long as it is wrapped up well. You can freeze the already baked pieces, but the best way to freeze Ullama is already cooked as a stew , casserole or soup. Here is my favorite Winter Squash Soup recipe. This one works really well with the Ullama since it has an inherent creaminess to it and is perfect for putting up into the freezer in ready to go portions.

Baked Ullama

You can do this with pretty much any winter type squash. Easy and delicious.

Ingredients:

1 whole Ullama
4 Tablespoons of Butter or Olive Oil
4 Tablespoons of Brown Sugar
Salt & Pepper to taste
Paprika or Cayenne to taste.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F (or about 180C). Take a big, sturdy knife and halve the squash lengthwise. Remove seeds and inner strings (guts). You can save the seeds to bake as snacks (recipe below). Place 2 tablespoons of butter or oil and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in each half, along with the sprinkling of the salt, pepper and cayenne if you want. Rub it all into the insides. Place the 2 halves cut side down on a cookie sheet. I line it with wax paper or foil first to make clean up easier.

Bake for about an hour or more, till tender when pierced with a fork. Sometimes this takes longer or shorter depending on the size of the squash.

Serve desired sized slices, drizzle butter sauce over slices.

Another cooking option is to steam the Ullama. Just peel off the skin with a sturdy vegetable peeler, cut the already halved and seeded meat into 1-2 inch chunks and steam for about 1/2 an hour.

 

 

Lard: For Authentic Mexican Flavor

Believe it or not! This week's adventure on the farm is a Tub of Lard!

For those who are concerned with flavor when cooking authentic tasting Mexican food, lard is an essential ingredient. Lard is used to make both tortillas and tamales light and delicate. It has a very high smoke point which is very beneficial for deep frying chile rellenos, flautas, and flavorful homemade tortilla chips. Lard adds a richness and a delicious pork flavor that is essentially Mexican in flavor, especially in refried beans. And there is nothing like a mess of greens sauteed in Lard!

If you eat meat, you might want to consider lard as a cooking fat. Rendered pork fat is a traditional and naturally made oil for cooking. The fat is mostly monounsaturated and has 0 Trans fatty acids. It has less cholesterol than butter. It was a main fat/oil used by cooks before the invention of vegetable oil and hydrogenated fats such as Crisco. Traditionally, lard has been used