With the arrival of fresh local strawberries all around us now, it’s time to celebrate!  Celebrate all the fresh produce coming our way with our country ham tacos at your Cinco de Mayo gatherings!

The saltiness in our ham pairs so nicely with the vibrant sweetness of fresh fruits and we’re saving you some time with a quick spiff up of store-bought Pico or Salsa.

You can use this taco filling on nachos, salads and tostadas too… stuff mushrooms and bake with cheese on top.  Let your imagination run. 

Porky-licious Country Ham Tacos with Strawberry-Pineapple Pico

Makes enough filling for 1 ½-2 dozen small tacos

 Taco Meat Ingredients:

8 ounces Rays Country Ham

1 lb. ground pork
2 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup water
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons garlic paste (in produce dept.)

Pico/Salsa Ingredients:

1 pint store bought Pico de Gallo or thicker type salsa
¾ cup each diced strawberries and pineapple (we grab some from store salad bar)
½ cup loosely packed cilantro, roughly chopped
1-2 tablespoons honey

Other ingredients needed:

3-4 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
3 limes
diced red onions (we get these on store salad bar)
sour cream
about ½ lb. queso fresco crumbling cheese
small corn or flour tortillas
several jalapenos, diced

To Cook Taco Filling:

Cut up the ham a bit and put into food processor. Grind to a rough mealy texture.
Heat oil in large skillet.  Cook the country ham and pork together till tender and almost done. 
Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat and continue on a low simmer, uncovered, until excess moisture cooks out and mixture reduces.
(Can be frozen at this point for later use.)

Pico/Salsa:

Pour bought Pico/salsa into a bowl.  Add diced strawberries, pineapple, honey, fresh minced cilantro to tase and diced onions. (Adjust honey per sweetness of the berries.)

To serve:

Warm tortillas. This can be done in oven, but we like to spray on both sides with buttery pan spray and lightly brown on each side in a hot skillet until a little puffy.

Put shredded lettuce in bottom of tortillas to keep from getting soggy. Spoon taco filling over lettuce.  Spoon on some of the strawberry sauce. Add a dollop of sour cream, then scatter with crumbled cheese, cilantro and diced jalapenos!  Offer with lime wedges for those who wish to give a fresh squeeze to their tacos!

Serve with favorite cold beverages.