Classic Tamale Batter Recipes

CLASSIC TAMALE BATTER

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the lard, baking powder, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy. Add 1 cup masa and 1/3 cup stock; beat until thoroughly combined. Add the remaining masa and 1/3 cup stock; beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. The batter should be soft but hold its shape in a spoon. If using fresh masa, test the batter to determine if it is adequately fluffy, ensuring light and tender tamales: Drop 1 teaspoon batter into a cup of cold water. If it floats to the surface, it is ready. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Store batter in an airtight container, refrigerated, up to 2 days.

ONE-PAN TAMALE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix cornbread mix, milk, and egg together in a bowl until smooth.
• Combine ground beef, onion, and jalapeno pepper in a large oven-proof skillet; cook and stir until beef is browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in enchilada sauce, salsa, corn, and chipotle pepper until heated through, about 5 minutes. Pour cornbread batter on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the top. Continue baking until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes more. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

REAL TRADITIONAL TAMALES

Steps:

• You have to beat the lard, (I use a machine), beat it until it gets soft, and fluffy.
• Add the flour, and keep beating it.
• Into a blender put the jalapenos, onion, tomatoes, salt, and the peregil. Add some water, you are making a salsa.
• In another pot, put some water and the chicken, and boil them.
• Take a big spoon of the mixture of the lard and spread it on the corn leaves, add a spoon of salsa, and a piece of chicken in it. Wrap the husk so the flour mixture seals around the meat and salsa
• Keep doing this until the mixture is gone
• Steam them in an oversized pot.
• In mexico we use special pots, you can use any but be sure to cook them in the vapor.
• Let it cook, you'll know when its ready when you touch the tamale and its not fluffy any more, it gets solid.
• When you eat it put the leaf into the trash can, you won't eat the leaf, in mexico people add some cream over it and thats good.

ONE-BITE TAMALES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Mix cornmeal, flour, 3/4 cup V8 juice, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic powder and cayenne. Add sausage; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1-in. balls., Place meatballs on a greased rack in a 15x10-in. pan. Bake until cooked through, 20-25 minutes., Meanwhile, in a 4-qt. slow cooker, mix remaining V8 juice, chili powder, cumin and salt. Gently stir in meatballs. Cook, covered, on low until heated through, 3-4 hours. Serve with tortilla chip scoops.

OLD-SCHOOL TAMALE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef, onion, and bell pepper in the hot skillet until beef is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease.
• Stir tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn, olives, chili powder, garlic, cumin, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper into the skillet. Bring to a low boil, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup Cheddar cheese and continue to simmer until melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish.
• Heat milk, butter, sugar, and salt for topping in a large saucepan over medium heat until butter has melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in cornmeal a little at a time, stirring vigorously with each addition, until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup Cheddar cheese. Drizzle in beaten eggs slowly, stirring vigorously until combined. Pour mixture over filling in the prepared dish, smoothing evenly over the surface.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Allow pie to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

TAMALE CASSEROLE WITH CHICKEN AND ROASTED-TOMATILLO SALSA

Steps:

• Heat the broiler. Place the tomatillos on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet 4 inches below the heating element. Broil tomatillos, turning once, until soft and blackened in spots, 8 to 9 minutes. Remove baking sheet from broiler, and set aside until tomatillos are cool. Position the oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Reduce the temperature to 425 degrees. Lightly oil an 8-inch pie plate; set plate aside.
• Place garlic in a medium skillet set over medium heat. After 5 minutes, add chiles. Cook, turning occasionally, until chiles and garlic are soft and blackened in spots, about 10 minutes more. Remove skillet from heat; set aside to cool. Peel the garlic.
• Transfer the tomatillos, any accumulated juice, chiles, and garlic to the bowl of a food processor or the jar of a blender. Cover, and pulse until a coarse puree forms. Transfer puree to a medium bowl.
• Place the onions in a sieve, and rinse under cold running water. Drain, and add to tomatillo mixture along with cilantro and salt; stir salsa until combined.
• Measure 3/4 cup salsa into a medium saute pan, and stir in the chicken. Set over medium heat, and cook, stirring, until chicken becomes tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
• Spread half of the tamale batter over bottom of prepared pie plate. Spread the chicken filling evenly over the batter, then spread remaining batter over chicken.
• Bake until golden, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce temperature to 300 degrees, and lightly brush top of pie with oil; loosely cover with foil. Continue baking until golden and center springs back when touched, about 35 minutes more. Remove casserole from oven, and let stand 5 minutes.
• Cut the casserole into wedges. Serve casserole warm, and drizzle with the remaining tomatillo salsa; if salsa is too thick to drizzle, thin with 1 or 2 tablespoons water.