Roasted Poblano Chile And Cheese Tamale Filling Recipes

POBLANO AND CHEESE TAMALES (TAMALES DE RAJAS CON QUESO)

Steps:

• Place corn husks in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain, place on a work surface, and cover with a clean, damp towel.
• Line a heavy cast iron grill pan or griddle with aluminum foil and place over high heat. Arrange poblano peppers in a single layer on top. Grill until chiles are blackened, turning as necessary, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer into a resealable plastic bag and let them steam, 10 to 15 minutes. Peel off skin, seed, and cut them into strips.
• Place tomatillos in a pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and cook until they change color, about 5 minutes. Drain and place in a blender. Blend until smooth.
• Heat 1 tablespoon lard in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add blended tomatillos and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until flavors are well combined, about 5 minutes. Add poblano peppers and cilantro and boil for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool, about 10 minutes.
• Beat remaining lard in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add salt and continue beating for a few minutes. Add masa harina and baking powder and beat well until combined. Add chicken broth, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough has a smooth and workable consistency that is not too wet, similar to cookie dough. Test if the masa is ready by dropping a small ball of masa into a glass of cold water; if it floats, it's ready, if not, keep working the dough a little longer.
• Select 1 wide corn husk or 2 small ones. Spread about 2 tablespoons masa mixture onto the corn husk, filling it up to 2 inches from the bottom and 1/4 inch from the top. Add 1 tablespoon of the tomatillo sauce and a piece of Monterey Jack cheese in the center of the masa mixture. Fold sides of husk together, one over the other. Fold the bottom of the husk over the seam of the 2 folded sides. Repeat with remaining husks.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add tamales with the open side up and cook until filling is heated through and separates from the husk, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Let tamales rest for 15 minutes before serving.

ROASTED POBLANO CHILE AND CHEESE TAMALE FILLING

Steps:

• Char chiles on a gas burner or broil in the oven, turning often, until blackened all over, about 10 minutes. Put in a bowl, cover, and let steam 20 minutes.
• Using a paper towel, peel blistered skin off chiles. Stem and seed chiles, then slice into 1/2-in. strips lengthwise. Halve any pieces longer than about 3 in. Season with salt.
• Pull Oaxaca cheese apart into pieces about 1/2 in. wide and 3 in. long. If using Monterey jack, cut into 1/2- by 3-in. sticks.
• Make ahead: Up to 2 days, char and peel chiles and prep cheese; keep chilled.

CHILE-CHEESE TAMALES

Steps:

• Place the husks in a deep saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat; set a plate over the husks to keep them submerged. Soak 1 hour.
• Prepare the filling: Place 2 cups corn in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to a medium-coarse puree. Add the lard; pulse five or six times. Add the masa harina, sugar, salt, and baking powder; pulse until combined. Process until the mixture is light, fluffy, and evenly combined, about 1 minute; scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
• Transfer the mixture to a bowl; stir in the remaining 1 cup corn until combined. Chill the filling until ready to assemble.
• Remove a large husk from the water; pat dry. Unroll, and tear along the grain to make 1/4-inch-wide strips (you need two per tamale). Remove another large piece; pat dry. Place on a work surface, pointed end facing away from you; scoop 1/4 cup batter into the middle; spread into a 4-inch square, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Place some chile strips down the center; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese. Pick up the long sides of the husk so the batter encases the filling. Bring the sides together to form a cylinder. Fold the wide end under; tie with a husk strip. Tie the pointed end near batter; fray the exposed husk. Repeat with the remaining husks, batter, poblanos, and cheese.
• Fill a wok or large skillet with 2 inches water. Line the bottom of a bamboo steamer basket with husks; set the basket in place. Lay the tamales in the steamer over high heat. When steam puffs out, reduce heat to medium. Steam 1 hour 15 minutes; add water to the pan as necessary. Check for doneness by unwrapping a tamale; the mixture should release easily and feel soft. If it sticks, rewrap; steam 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes; tamales will stay warm about 1 hour.

SHRIMP AND POBLANO CHILE TAMALES

Steps:

• Note: Chihuahua cheese available in most Hispanic markets, Queso Fresco available from Mozzarella Company 800-798-2954.
• Cover corn husks with hot tap water in a shallow baking dish.
• Bring chicken broth, creamed corn and milk just to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Gradually add broth mixture to masa harina in a medium bowl, stirring with a wooden spoon, until well blended; cool.
• Heat broiler.
• Line a broiler pan with foil.
• Arrange poblanos and bell pepper on prepared pan and broil 4 inches from heat 10 to 15 minutes, turning until skins are evenly charred.
• Wrap in foil and let stand 15 minutes.
• Peel, seed and dice chile and bell pepper; transfer to a medium bowl.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add onions and cook 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add garlic, reduce heat to medium and cook 1 minute more.
• Cool, then combine with chile, bell pepper and uncooked shrimp.
• Beat lard, baking powder, salt and sugar together in a large mixer bowl, until smooth.
• Gradually beat in masa harina mixture by spoonfuls, beating well after each addition.
• Continue to beat 5 to 8 minutes more, until mixture is light and fluffy.
• Stir in shrimp mixture and cheese (mixture will be stiff).
• Drain and rinse corn husks; keep covered with a damp towel (or follow foil directions below).
• Flatten one husk on work surface (overlapping two husks if small).
• Spoon 1/4 cup filling in center of husk.
• Spread into a 3-inch long log.
• Roll up lengthwise.
• Secure each end with string.
• Repeat with remaining husks and filling.
• To prepare tamales with foil: Cut each foil piece in half to make two 6x9-inch rectangles.
• Spread 1/4 cup filling in center of each rectangle.
• Fold all sides in to form 2x3-1/2-inch packets.
• (Can be made ahead. Place tamales in resealable plastic storage bags and freeze up to 1 month.) Place steamer rack in Dutch oven over 1 inch of water.
• Arrange tamales (unthawed if frozen) in rack.
• Cover; bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low and steam 30 minutes.
• Serve with Guacamole, if desired.
• Makes 28 tamales.
• (Nutrition facts are based on 1 tamale per serving.) yMasa Harina: A variety of flour made from specially processed corn.
• Used in tamales or to thicken sauces.
• Can be found in the baking section of most supermarkets.
• yyChile Poblano: Mild to medium-hot fresh chile.
• Popular for stuffing; usually roasted.