Corn Cheese And Chile Verde Tamales Pati Jinich Recipes

CORN, GREEN CHILE, AND CHEESE TAMALES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large bowl, place the corn kernels and the diced chile peppers.
• Add the shredded queso fresco cheese, cream cheese, chili powder, 1 teaspoon of the cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.
• Use a large spoon to mix the ingredients thoroughly.
• Once the filling is made, cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge.
• Go through the corn husks, removing any debris. Separate the larger usable pieces from the smaller bits and pieces.
• Place all the usable husks-whole leaves, without tears-into a large bowl and cover them with warm water. Place a heavy item on top of the husks to keep them submerged.
• Allow husks to soak for at least 1 hour or until they have rehydrated and become pliable.
• Remove the husks from the water and pat dry.
• Place them into a covered dish or a large plastic bag to prevent them from drying out. Use only the larger and medium-sized husks to wrap the tamales; the smaller ones can be used for ties or patches.
• In a mixing bowl combine the masa harina and warm water. Stir a couple of times in a gentle mix and let the it sit for about 20 minutes to let the masa soften.
• Vigorously stir the mixture with a wooden spoon or with an electric mixer on low speed until a dough forms. You can also use your hands, in the traditional way, to mix well and ensure there are no dry bits of corn flour left without mixing.
• Add the chile pepper and onion powder. Sprinkle the remaining cumin and remaining salt over the dough as you mix it.
• In a separate bowl, whip the lard with a hand or electric whisk for about 3 minutes or until fluffy.
• Slowly and patiently add the whipped lard to the dough, mixing well until the mixture is combined and uniform. The masa should be similar in consistency to peanut butter-dense but malleable-and, most importantly, not sticky. Add more masa harina or liquid as necessary until you can press the dough with your open hand, remove it, and not have dough in your palm.
• Lay a big hydrated husk on a flat surface.
• Spoon on 1 to 2 tablespoons of dough, depending on the size of the husk.
• Using the back of a metal spoon, spread the dough onto the husk, keeping it at an approximately 1/4-inch thickness. Leave a space of about 4 inches from the narrow end of the husk and a space of about 2 inches from the other end. Spread the dough up to the edge of one of the long sides and 2 inches away from the other long side.
• Spread a couple of spoonfuls of filling down the center of the dough with a putty knife or an offset spatula, leaving at least 1 inch of dough around each side.
• Locate the long side with a 2-inch space with no masa. Fold that end over, slightly overlapping the other side so the edges of the dough meet.
• Wrap an extra husk around the back. Then fold the broad end over the top and then the longer narrow end over the broad end.
• Cut or tear long 1/4-inch-wide strips using some of the smaller husks. Tie these strips across the middle of each tamale to hold the flaps down.
• Repeat the process until you're out of masa and filling.
• Before you start the cooking process, check that all the tamales are tightly tied and that there are no large tears or cuts in the husks. If so, use smaller husks to cover the tears up, like a patch, and tie again.
• Set tamales upright in a steamer and steam for 90 minutes. Although there are tamale steamers on the market, you can steam them without one by boiling a small amount of water in a large pot and placing a colander or mesh on top, always keeping the tamales away from the water. Cover the colander with the unused husks and place the tamales on top.
• Boil water in a kettle to add to the bottom pot if necessary.
• Once cooked, let tamales cool in the steamer for 1 hour before serving. This time allows the masa to firm up.
• Traditionally, tamales are served with the husk. But if you are new to tamales and find them messy, simply unwrap and serve on a plate.
• Serve with pico de gallo, and avocado slices.
• Enjoy!

TAMALES VERDES

Steps:

• For the filling, place husks in a large bowl. Add water to cover, and set aside to soften.
• In a large saucepan, combine the tomatillos, jalapeño peppers and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender, and add salt, garlic, onion and cumin. Blend until puréed. Return the mixture to the pot, and place over medium heat. Add the lard, cook for 5 to 7 minutes until fully melted, then remove from heat and set aside.
• For the masa, combine the masa mix with the melted lard, baking powder, salt and chicken broth in a large bowl. Knead dough until soft, 10 to 20 minutes.
• To finish and steam: Fill the bottom of a steamer with about 2 inches of water. Line the bottom of the insert with a layer of corn husks.
• In a corn husk, place about a handful of masa. Spread with 3 tablespoons of the sauce and some shredded chicken. Fold in the sides of each husk, and fold the pointed side up, leaving one end open. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Stand the filled husks in the steamer with the open ends up.
• Cover the tops with a layer of additional corn husks, and cover the pot tightly with foil and a lid. Steam until the tamales release easily from the husks, 45 minutes to 1 hour; add water to the bottom of the pan as necessary so it doesn't run dry, and be careful not to overcook.

CHEESE WITH ROASTED CHILE TAMALES

Steps:

• MAKE TAMALE MASA:, Place 1 pound of lard in a large stand mixer with a flat beater and mix until fluffy; scraping sides so the lard stays in the center of the mixing bowl. Add half the baking powder and half the salt and mix all together., Add half the masa and mix together. Slowly add half the broth to the masa and mix until combined. The mixture should be about the consistency of smooth peanut butter. If not, add more broth as necessary. Test the masa by taking a small piece (1/2 teaspoon) and dropping it into a cup of warm water. If it floats, it is ready. If it sinks, add a little more lard, beat for another minute, and test again. Repeat this process until the masa floats. Pour the masa mixture into a bigger bowl. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients., Cover the masa and set aside while you prepare filling., For filling, heat olive oil, add flour and stir for 3 minutes. Add diced green chiles and garlic powder and stir for 5 minutes., Add suero, salt, and ½ cup of shredded cheese, and simmer for 7 minutes, stirring until cheese melts and mixture thickens. Let mixture cool before filling tamales., PREPARE OJAS (CORN HUSKS):, Soak corn husks in water for an hour before using, rinse well with running water to take off any dust or corn husk fibers. To keep corn husks pliable and easy to work with, keep in water while filling tamales. Place a handful of wet corn husks in a colander to drain before using., SPREAD MASA:, Place the wide end of the husk on the palm of your hand. The narrow end is at the top. Starting at the middle of the husk, with the back of a spoon, spread 2 tablespoons of the masa in a rectangle or oval shape, using a downward motion towards the wide-bottom edge. Do not spread the masa to the ends; leave about a 2-inch border on the left and right sides of the husk., FILL CORN HUSKS:, Spoon 1½ tablespoons of filling down the center of the masa, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cheese. Fold both sides to the center; finish off by bringing the pointed end of the husk toward the filled end. Make sure it's a snug closure so the tamale will not open during steaming. Secure by tying a thin strip of corn husk around the tamale. This will keep the tamale from unwrapping during the steaming process, especially if the husk is too thick and will not stay folded., STEAM TAMALES:, Use a deep pot or tamale steamer to steam tamales. If using a tamale steamer, fill with water up to the fill line. Set the tamale rack over the water. Place tamales upright with fold against the sides of the other tamales to keep them from unfolding. Cover pot with a tight fitting lid. Set heat on high and bring to a boil, about 15 minutes. Lower heat and simmer for 2½ to 3 hours. Keep lid on tightly. To test if done, place one tamale on a plate and take off the corn husk. If it comes off without sticking to the tamale, they're done.