Bring Your Hispanic Heritage Celebration Into The Kitchen With Real Milk And Real Traditions

LECHE. Amor por lo verdadero invites you to enjoy those authentic customs passed down from generation to generation that spark joy in our lives this Hispanic Heritage Month. Real milk is nutritious and comforting. It has always been there, as the perfect pair to our favorite foods, part of a bedtime routine, or as the star of our grandma's tres leches for family gatherings.

Honor your heritage and your taste buds with real milk and embrace our recipes and past times like cooking together and showing love through food and nourishment. Real dairy milk is wholesome, simple, and affordable - it enhances some of life's most loved moments.

Real milk helps us give our kids nutrients they need to grow strong and makes any dish creamier, more delicious. It's no wonder it's been such an important part of our culture for generations.

Chef Claudette's Carnitas Tamales
Yield: 1 dozen

Ingredients

Tamal Batter

• 2 cups Masa Harina
• 4 ½ cups broth (protein or vegetable)
• ¾ cup lard or shortening
• 1 tablespoon salt

Filling

• 3 lb. pork shoulder
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups of milk
• 1 orange
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 lb. coconut oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• ½ cup onion, small dice

Salsa Verde

• 1 lb. tomatillos, peeled and washed
• 1 bunch cilantro, clean
• ½ onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 serrano peppers

Notes: You will need 12-inch squares of banana leave wraps, corn husks or frozen leaves

Preparation Method

Carnitas

• Place meat, garlic, onion, bay leaves, milk, salt, and pepper into a medium pot.
• Once it reaches a boil add, coconut oil, orange slices and, brown sugar, cook on medium-low until tender.
• Fork test before pulling for tamales.

Tamal

• Mix masa and broth together until all broth is absorbed, whip in lard, and salt until smooth.

Salsa Verde

• Toast all ingredients until soft and caramelized in a dry comal.
• Blend vegetables and season with salt as you like.

When making tamales:

• Place 1/4 cup of masa per leaf and spread thin. Add 2 tablespoons of carnitas and salsa. Carefully close and tie ends. Steam for 30 min approx. in steamer. Remove one and let it cool before removing all from heat. They will set at room temperature.
• Enjoy with a tall glass of milk.