Tamales Cernidos con Rajas y Queso (Tamales filled with Poblanos & Cheese)
This recipe appears in "From My Mexican Kitchen: Techniques and
Ingredients"
by Diana Kennedy (Clarkson Potter, 2003). Though Kennedy provides a recipe
for homemade corn flour, we used freshly ground masa from La Palma in San
Francisco, which was already moist and didn't need the broth.
About 40 dried corn husks
The Masa:
12 ounces pork lard, preferably fresh (see Note)
1 1/2 pounds harina para tamales (tamale flour; see Note)
2 cups chicken broth (if needed)
Sea salt to taste
The Filling:
1 1/2 cups Salsa Verde (see recipe)
5 large poblano chiles, roasted, peeled and cut into strips about 3/8 inch
wide (to make 2 cups of strips)
1 pound Mexican manchego, Chihuahua or Muenster cheese, cut into small
bars
about 2 1/2 by 1/2 inches
Soak corn husks in water for at least an hour, longer if they are very
tough, until pliable. Begin bringing water to boil in a tamale steamer so
that it is ready to go when the tamales are filled. Put the lard into
the bowl of an electric mixer and beat at high speed until very white and
fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the tamale flour, beating very
thoroughly after each addition. (If the flour is dry, alternate adding it
with the chicken broth; if wet, you won't need the broth.) Add salt to
taste and test the masa by floating a bit on a glass of water -- it should
float on top if it is ready. Dry corn husks by spinning in a salad
spinner, or shaking well to dispel all water.
Spread a large tablespoonful of the masa in a very thin layer over the top
part of the husk, leaving a 1/2-inch margin, and down about 3 inches. Put
1 1/4 tablespoons of the Salsa Verde down the middle of the masa, two
chile strips, and a piece of cheese. Fold the edges of the husk over so
that the dough covers the filling and fold the spare part of the husk
toward the back (it's OK for the other end to remain open). Set the
prepared tamales on a tray while you assemble the rest. Work as fast as
you can so that the sauce is not absorbed by the masa.
When the water in the bottom of the tamale steamer is boiling, spread a
layer of extra corn husks in the top part of the steamer. Place the
tamales in the steamer upright, folded side down, firmly but not too
tightly on top, to allow for expansion. If you need to do this in layers,
let the bottom layer cook for 10 minutes to set before you continue
stacking. Cover with more husks or thick toweling, and a tightly fitting
lid. Cook tamales over a brisk heat for about 1 1/4 hours. To test for
doneness, remove one of the tamales and tap lightly; it should feel spongy
and resilient, and when opened up the dough should separate easily from
the husk. Even thoroughly cooked, the masa will be slightly textured.
Makes 30-36 small tamales
Note: For "unprepared" masa specifically for tamales, which means it
hasn't
been mixed with lard. Do not use instant masa intended for tortillas, such
as Maseca.
PER TAMALE: 210 calories, 5 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 14 g fat (6 g
saturated), 21 mg cholesterol, 81 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.
Salsa Verde
This sauce will keep in the refrigerator for about three days and can be
frozen for about one month. It tends to separate after defrosting, so give
it a whirl in the blender.
1 pound tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
3 or more serrano chiles
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons roughly chopped white onion
Sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Put the whole tomatillos and serrano chiles in a small saucepan, barely
cover it with water, and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and continue
cooking until the tomatillos are soft but not falling apart, about 5
minutes depending on the size. Drain, reserving the cooking water.
Roughly chop the chiles, and blend all of the ingredients with about 1 cup
of the cooking water until you have a fairly smooth sauce. Heat the
vegetable oil in a skillet and fry the sauce over medium heat, scraping
the bottom of the pan to avoid sticking. Continue cooking until the sauce
has reduced and thickened to about 1 1/2 cups, approximately 10 minutes.
PER 2 TABLESPOONS: 25 calories, 0 protein, 3 g carbohydrate, 2 g fat (0
saturated), 0 cholesterol, 1 sodium, 1 g fiber.
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