Consider Companion Planting

Companion planting is the practice of planting plants next to or close to each other (or at a distance) for various of reasons for the benefit of another variety of plant.  Companion planting has long been used by gardeners and, by observing and sharing with other gardeners, companions became "common knowledge" and not just folklore or wives tales.  

In our times of wanting to avoid pesticides whenever possible, more research is being done on the practice of companion planting and much of the "common knowledge" is proving to have some truth.

Concepts of Companion Planting

• Planting to repel unwanted insect pests.  It has been "common knowledge" to plant African marigold because they expel chemical from roots and foliage that repel insects and nematodes.
• Planting to attract beneficial insects such as pollinators, as well as predatory and parasitic insects. 
• For larger crops, the planting of a nearby host crop to attract certain insects away from the production crop.
• Cover crops to replenish nutrients to the soil for the next planting.  Example - Legumes to replenish nitrogen to the soil.
• Spacial interaction is the planting of taller sun-loving plants near lower growing shade tolerant plants to increase yield.
• Nurse cropping, similar to spacial interaction, is the concept of taller plants with a full canopy providing shade or windbreak to smaller, more tender varieties, or to even suppress weeds.

Not only does companion planting provide benefits to your garden, you too can reap the benefits of the practice by adding variety, color and other useful plants that you may not have considered growing such as herbs, flowers and other vegetables.

Peppermania has added a Dowloadable Companion Planting Guide for Vegetable and Herbs to the web site and you can download it by clicking the Bumble Bee.

Happy Planting!

Beth in Texas

Grilled Tilapia Tacos with Xni-Pec

I was curious about a recipe I received this week for Xni-Pec (pronounced shnee-pek), a table sauce or salsa of the Yucatan.  In Mayan, Xni translates to "dog" and Pec to "nose" so we have "dog-nose" salsa.  This name could be explained by the moist nasal cavity you may acquire resulting from the Habanero in the recipe, you'll be just like a happy dog!

After a little googling, and I found many recipes and and become slightly confused when I found similar recipes for Salpicon, also of the Yucatan and Central America, all with the same basic ingredients and some with tomato or radish.  I also found Salpicón with the same ingredients and "is a term used in French cooking to define a mixture of minced ingredients that are.....to be bound with a sauce after they are diced and mixed and before they are used as a stuffing. The ingredients that are used in salpicon are commonly made up of a mixture of meat and vegetables. Salpicon sometimes incorporates fish."  

OK, Mexico won independence from France in 1867 but did the French influence the Mayans with their cuisine and Salpicón? or did the Mayans just mix their Xni-Pec with some beef or fish and it was still Xni-Pec?

That is research for another day, I just wanted some Xni-pec, a taco night with the ingredients I had on hand and I wanted it easy.  All is good.

Grilled Tilapia Tacos with Xni-Pec

For The Xni-Pec
1/4 - 1/2 cup Sour orange juice* or lime juice
6 - 7             Green onions, diced (1/2 large red or Spanish onion)
1                  Habanero, diced (or more, consider roasting first)
1                  handful Cilantro (or to taste), chopped
Salt to taste

For The Tilapia Tacos
4 Tilapia filets
Lime Pepper to taste
Remaining juice from above

4 - 6 Flour tortillas 

Combine onion, cilantro and 2/3 of the juice in a small bowl and set aside.

Pour the remaining juice over the Tilapia filets and season with Lime Pepper.
Oil grill top and heat grill to medium heat.  
Roast habanero until slightly toasted, de-stem, de-seed and dice to small.
Add habanero to onion / cilantro mixture. Combine well and add salt to taste.
Grill Tilapia 10-12 minutes, turning with large flat spatula halfway through.
As the Tilapia is finishing, fold tortillas in half and carefully toast n both sides.



Remove everything from the grill, lightly shred the Tilapia, stuff into tortillas, insert Xni-pec.  Serve with cucumber, sliced tomato and lime wedges.

My Comments:  
I will use red onion in the Xni-pec next time.
The lime juice works just fine vs sour orange.
I think the Xni-Pec would be very good with shredded brisket.
The Xni-pic with tomato would be very good Ceviche.
I highly recommend Guerrero Soft Flour Tortillas, they are large, moist and puff nicely.


*Sour orange juice   Substitutes:   Mix 1 part lime or lemon juice + 2 parts orange juice OR 2 parts grapefruit juice + 1 part lime juice + dash orange zest OR 2 parts lime juice + 1 page orange juice


For more recipes of the Yucatan visit LOS DOS - THE FIRST SCHOOL IN MEXICO DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE CUISINE OF YUCATÁN.

I can now say that I now have prepared and eaten my first ever fish tacos!  Look out Long John Silver!

Beth in Texas