Mario Batalis Green Chile Pork Tamales Recipe 425

MARIO BATALI'S GREEN CHILE PORK TAMALES RECIPE - (4.2/5)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Toss the poblanos and jalapeños in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil oil and season with salt. Place in the oven to roast for about 15 minutes or until the skin is dark brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Remove the skin and the seeds from the peppers. In a blender, puree the peppers with the tomatillos and half the cilantro and season with salt. Heat the remaining oil in a Dutch oven. Season the pork with salt and pepper and brown the pork on all sides. Add the onions, garlic, and the cumin and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the beer and the chicken stock and bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add the rest of cilantro. Stir in the tomatillo mixture and let simmer until the pork is tender and the mixture has reduced a bit, about an hour and a half. Season with lime wedges. Take 2 tablespoons of masa mixture, press into palm of hand, to flatten. Place a tablespoon of filling mixture into center and fold masa paste around to cover and seal. Place inside two overlapping corn husks, roll up to cover and fold in edges to cover tamale completely. Place tamales in steamer, seam side down and steam for 30 minutes. If you do not have a steamer, add water to pasta pot, enough to boil but not touching the bottom of the pasta insert. TIPS: You could also braise chicken, shrimp or beef in this braising liquid. You can find cornhusks at a Latin grocery store. Be sure to soak them for about an hour before using. The tamales freeze really well, so you can enjoy the leftovers another day.

GREEN CHILE TAMALES

Steps:

• Combine the roasted poblanos and tomatillo salsa in a blender of food processor. Puree until smooth. Add the pureed chile mixture to the masa dough and mix well to combine. Reserve at room temperature. Follow method of filling and steaming as in Turkey Tamale recipe.
• In a blender place tomatillos, jalapenos and water. Puree until just chunky. Add remaining ingredients and puree about 2 minutes more, or until no large chunks remain. This salsa keeps in the refrigerator, in a covered container, about 3 days.

GREEN CHILE PORK TAMALES

Steps:

• Place the dried corn husks in a large pot and cover with water.
• Place a heavy plate or a smaller pot full of water on top of husks to keep them in the water. Let soak for 3 hours or up to 1 day, flipping occasionally until husks are softened.
• Place an oven rack on the top setting. Turn the oven on broil. Peel and rinse the tomatillos.
• Line a heavy baking sheet with foil. Place tomatillos on baking sheet and place under broiler.
• Broil (grill) until black spots form on tomatillos, then flip and broil (grill) other side. This takes about 5-10 minutes per side depending on the strength of the broiler.
• Place roasted tomatillos and juices from the pan into a food processor and allow to cool about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chopped Serrano chiles and process until smooth.
• Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.
• Add the tomatillo puree and boil, stirring continuously, for 5 minutes (it should turn thick like a paste).
• Add in the chicken broth, stir to mix well. Reduce heat to medium low and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally until mixture coats the back of a spoon and is reduced to about a cup.
• Stir in the shredded pork and cilantro. Salt to taste.
• Prepare the dough. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and canola oil until it's white and creamy.
• In a separate bowl mix the masa harina, baking powder and salt. Add masa mixture to whipped butter and canola one cup at a time.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low, gradually add the chicken broth. Add more or less as necessary until it has the consistence of soft cream cheese.
• Take 3 large corn husks and tear them into 1/4 inch strips. (Put these back in the water until ready to use because they dry out and start breaking when you try to work with them.
• Take a large pot with a steamer attachment. Pour about 2 inches of water into the bottom of the pot, or enough to touch the bottom of the steamer. Line the bottom of the steamer with corn husks.
• Unfold 2 corn husks onto a work surface. Take 1/4 cup of dough and, starting near the top of the husk, press it out into a 4 inch square, leaving 2-3 inches at the bottom of the husk. Place a heaping tablespoon of the filling in a line down the center of the dough square.
• Fold the dough into the corn husk. And wrap the husk around the dough. Fold up the skinny bottom part of the husk. And secure it with one of the corn husk ties.
• Stand them up in the steamer. If there aren't enough tamales to tightly pack the steamer, place crumpled aluminum foil in the excess space.
• Steam the tamales for about 40 minutes or until the dough deepens in color and easily pulls away from the husk.

RICK'S RED CHILE PORK TAMALES

Steps:

• To make the batter: 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 it should hold its shape in a spoon.
• If using fresh masa, test the batter to determine if it is adequately fluffy (this will ensure 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.
• To make the wrappers: Reconstitute the corn husks by placing them in a deep saucepan and covering them with water. Set saucepan over high heat, and bring to a boil.
• Transfer husks and water to a heatproof bowl. Set a small plate on top of husks, keeping them submerged. Soak 1 hour. Remove from water.
• To make the filling: In the jar of a blender, combine chiles, garlic, pepper, and cumin. Add 1 1/2 cups water, and blend until a smooth puree forms.
• Strain mixture into a medium saucepan. Add the pork, 1 3/4 cups water, and salt. Place over medium heat; cook, stirring frequently, until liquid has reduced to the consistency of a thick sauce and the meat is very tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Using a fork, break up the meat.
• Return the tamale batter to the mixer. On low to medium speed, mix the batter for a few seconds to lighten the dough. Add 3 tablespoons sauce; mix again to combine.
• You may need to add a few tablespoons or so of chicken stock. The batter should not be stiff, but slightly loose and not runny. Remember, the lighter the batter, the more tender the tamale.
• To assemble the tamales: Unroll one large reconstituted corn husk; tear lengthwise along grain to make 1/4-inch-wide strips (two per tamale); if strips aren't long enough, tie two together.
• Place another long piece, lightly dried, on work surface, pointed end away from you; scoop 1/4 cup batter onto middle of one end. Spread into a 4-inch square, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border on pointed end and a 1-inch border on the other sides. Spoon 2 tablespoons filling down the center. Bring long sides together to form a cylinder, making sure the batter encases filling. Fold the pointed end under; tie loosely with husk strip. Fold the flat end under; tie. Repeat.
• Reserve smaller husks to line the steamer basket and cover the tamales.
• To steam the tamales: Set steamer over high heat. When steam puffs out, reduce the heat to medium. Steam 1 hour 15 minutes, adding more water when necessary. To check for doneness, unwrap a tamale: If ready, dough will come free from wrapper and feel soft. If dough sticks to wrapper, rewrap, and steam 15 to 20 more minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes for batter to firm up. They will remain warm for about 1 hour.

GREEN CHILE PORK TAMALE FILLING

Steps:

• In a large, heavy pot heat the oil (I use my Le Cruset). Saute the onion until just translucent, then add the minced garlic and saute another few minutes until garlic softens.
• Add the green chiles and saute, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes, allowing most of the moisture from the chiles to evaporate.
• Add the ground pork and stir well to combine. Saute until pork is fully cooked and slightly browned, about 10-14 minutes. Add the ancho powder, cumin, and oregano, stirring to coat the mixture well.
• Fold in the cotija cheese and combine well. Use as tamale filling and enjoy! Top your tamales with your favorite tamale sauce (I use my Rich and Delicious Enchilada Sauce recipe for tamales, absolutely wonderful stuff).
• Also works very well as an enchilada filling. Makes about 3-4 cups filling.

PORK GREEN CHILE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in cubed pork, and cook until nicely browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, and allow to cool briefly.
• Sprinkle flour over pork. With a wooden spoon, stir pork to coat, scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen browned bits. Add chile peppers, jalapenos, and onions. Stir in tomato sauce and water. Season to taste with onion salt, garlic salt, and salt and pepper.
• Return skillet to medium heat. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove cover, and cook 10 minutes more.

GREEN CHILE CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• Filling Directions:.
• Place husks in large pot or large bowl; add water to cover. Place heavy plate on husks to keep submerged. Let stand until husks soften, turning occasionally, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day - I find that over-night is perfect.
• Preheat boiler. Line heavy baking sheet with foil. Arrange tomatillos on prepared sheet and broil until tomatillos blaken in spots, turning once (about 5 minute per side). Transfer tomatillos and any juices on sheet to processor and cool.
• Add chiles and garlic to processor and blend until smooth puree forms.
• Heat oil on medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add tomatillo puree and boil 5 minutes, stirring often.
• Add broth and reduce heat to medium; simmer until sauce coats spoon thickly and is reduced to 1 cup, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes.
• Season with salt and mix in chicken and cilantro (can be made 1 day ahead, cover and chill).
• I usually double this portion of the recipe and freeze half, it holds very well in the freezer.
• Dough Directions:.
• Using electric mixer, beat shortening (with salt and baking powder if using) in large bowl until fluffy.
• Beat in fresh masa or masa harina mixture in 4 additions.
• Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in 1 1/2 cups broth, forming tender dough. If dough seems firm, beat in enough broth, two tablespoons at a time to soften.
• Fill bottom of pot with steamer insert with enough water (about two inches) to reach bottom of insert. Line bottom of insert with some softened corn husks.
• Tear 3 large husks into 1/4-inch-wide strips to use as ties and set aside. This isn't necessary, I only do it when I want to make the tamales look "pretty".
• Open 1 large husks on work surface. Spread 1/4 cup dough in 4-inch square in center of each, leaving 2-3-inch plain border at narrow end of husk.
• Spoon heaping tablespoon filling in strip down center of dough square. Fold sides of husk towards center and the narrow bottom end up so that the chicken mixture is "contained" in the center of dough and husk. This is where you can tie them with a strip of husk, but I find it isn't necessary. Leave wide end of tamale open.
• Stand tamales in steamer basket, open end UP. Repeat with more husks, dough and filling until all filling has been used. If necessary, to keep tamales upright in steamer, insert pieces of crumpled foil between them.
• Bring water in pot to boil, cover and steam tamales until dough is firm to touch and separates easily from husk, adding more water to pot as necessary, about 45 minutes.
• Let stand 10 minutes.
• Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool one hour, cover and chill. Before serving, re-steam tamales until hot, about 35 minutes.