Fiesta de Tamales!

Guacamole

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 ripe Avocado

½ medium red Onion, minced

1 Jalapeño or Serrano, de-seeded, minced

1 clove Garlic, diced

Juice of 1 Lime

3 tablespoons Cilantro, rinsed, finely chopped

½ teaspoon Kosher Salt

Method

1. Mash avocados in a molcajete or bowl, add onion, jalapeño, garlic and salt and stir
2. Add in lime juice a teaspoon at a time until desired flavor occurs
3. Add in cilantro and gently fold
4. Serve immediately

 

*Cover with plastic wrap, tightly sealed around the entire top of the guacamole so that no air can get it, will prevent browning for a longer period of time

 

Pico de Gallo (Beak of Rooster)

Yield: 6 servings

 

Ingredients

8 ripe Tomatoes, cored and diced (Roma preferred)

1 red Onion, diced

1 Jalapeño or Serrano, de-seeded, minced

1 bunch Cilantro, washed and rough chopped (half uses for pico and half set aside)

2 cloves Garlic, minced

Juice of 1-2 Lime

1 tsp Kosher Salt

*May be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week

 

Tamales Rojas de Puerco (Red Pork Tamales)

Yield: approximately 40 tamales

Dried corn husks:  Soak dried corn husks in warm water for at least 1 hour prior to assembly

Pork Ingredients

2 lb pork butt

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp celery salt

1 dried guajillo pepper

1 dried ancho pepper

2 T Kosher salt

2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

3 cups water

4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

1 onion, peeled and quartered

Pork Method (crock-pot)

1. Rub pork with cumin, oregano, paprika, celery salt, salt and pepper
2. Place in crock pot, cover with water and add garlic, onion and peppers
3. Cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-6 hours
4. Remove from juice and let cool
5. Reserve broth for sauce
6. Shred and season meat to taste and set aside

Masa Ingredients

6 cups Masa Harina

1 cup Manteca (lard)

3/4 cup butter, unsalted, room temp

3-4 cups stock or broth from stewed meat made ahead

1 1/2 cup creamed corn

3 tsp baking powder

Kosher Salt to taste (approximately 1 tablespoon) 

Method for Masa

1. In a large bowl or mixer, whip lard and butter until soft and very light in color
2. Add salt and baking powder and whip another 20 seconds
3. Add masa in ½ cup increments
4. Add creamed corn and whip for another 20 seconds
5. By hand slowly add in stock as needed to desired consistency (light and spongy)

**Test** 

Spoon a bit of dough into a bowl of water, if it floats, it’s done, if it sinks, it needs more liquid, more fat and more mixing, best when using stand mixer.

Tamale Assembly

Place corn husk wide end facing away from you, add enough masa to spread thin layer over entire husk

Place 1 T or more filling in a line down the middle of the husk on top of the masa

Begin to roll the husk into desired tamale shape like a burrito, enclosing all contents like a package

Tie a knot or bow around the husk to keep from opening up during the steaming process

 

Steam for 40-45 minutes, let cool for 5 minutes, open; add sauce and cheese and most of all…Enjoy!

Chile Rojo (Red Chile Sauce)

Yield: 3 cups

*Can be frozen in freezer bags or containers for up to 6 months

Ingredients

• 2 dried guajillo and 2 dried ancho
• 1 tablespoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon oregano
• Juice from pork or beef meat for tamales (see above recipe)

Method

1. Remove the top of the chiles and shake out most of the seeds.
2. In a large pot, add the chiles and all of the spices.
3. Add enough water to cover all of the chiles.
4. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes.
5. The following steps will be done in batches until all of the chiles are blended:

1. Once the chiles are soft, transfer to a blender or food processor and add about 1 to 2 cups of water each batch. Start with 1 cup and add more if they are not blending well due to being dry.

1. Add the pureed chiles through a strainer to remove the remaining seeds and skins.
2. Push the chile mix with a spoon to get the most out of them.
3. Once all of the chiles are strained, transfer to a big bowl and add more salt and pepper to taste.

 

 Tamales Verdes de Pollo (Green Chicken Tamales)

Yield: Approximately 40 tamales

Dried corn husks

-Soak dried corn husks in warm water for at least 1 hour prior to assembly

Chicken Ingredients

2 lb chicken

8-10 cups boiling water

1 onion, peeled and quartered

4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp celery salt

2 T Kosher salt

2 tsp fresh ground black pepper 

Chicken Method

1. Boil water or chicken stock in large stock pot
2. Add chicken, onion and garlic and simmer until chicken is tender (about 20 minutes)
3. Remove from juice and let cool
4. Reserve broth for sauce
5. Shred and season with oregano, cumin, paprika, celery salt, salt and pepper to taste
6. Set aside

 

Chile Verde (Green Chile Sauce)

Yield: 3 cups

*Can be frozen in freezer bags or containers for up to 6 months

Ingredients

1 ½ pound of tomatillos green tomatoes husk removed

3 Serrano peppers or 3 jalapenos

4 cloves of garlic peeled

3 cups broth from cooking chicken

Salt to taste

 

Method

1. Cook the tomatoes, peppers, and garlic in a pot with water until they are cooked and tender.
2. Place the tomatoes, peppers and garlic in the blender and puree until smooth.
3. Season with salt

 

Tamales de Chocolate y Frutas de Boscas (Chocolate Tamales with Berries)

Yield:  14 tamales

Ingredients

• 14 large dry corn husks
• 2 cans (7.6 fluid ounces each) NESTLÉ Media Crema, divided
• 1/4 cup NESTLÉ La Lechera Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablets (90 grams each) NESTLÉ Abuelita Chocolate
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 2 3/4 cups masa harina flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup warm milk

 

Method

1. Soak husks in warm water for at least 1 hour or until softened and easy to fold.
2. Combine 1 can media crema, sweetened condensed milk and cinnamon in small bowl; refrigerate.
3. Place Abuelita chocolate and remaining 1 can media crema in medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat; set aside.
4. Beat butter in large bowl until creamy. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Alternately add flour mixture, milk and Abuelita mixture to butter, mixing well after each addition until consistency of thick cake batter (masa). (If masa is dry add a few tablespoons of warm milk; mix well.)
5. Spread 1/4 cup masa mixture, using back of a spoon, to form a square in the center of the lower wider portion of one husk. Fold right then left edge of husk over masa. Fold up bottom edge. Repeat with remaining masa mixture and husks.
6. Place vegetable steamer in pot with lid; add water to just below steamer. Arrange tamales upright in steamer rack. Cover top of tamales with a damp towel; cover. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Steam, adding water as needed, for about 30 minutes or until masa pulls away from husks. Serve warm with media crema sauce and mixed berry coulis.

 

Mixed Berry Coulis

Yield: 2 cups coulis

Ingrendients

2 cups mixed Berries

¼ cup caster Sugar*

Juice of ½ Lemon

Method

Combine raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan and heat until fruit is softened and berries release their juices. Continue to simmer until the liquid is reduce by half. Remove from heat and puree in food processor until smooth. Strain through a sieve to remove any seeds and stir in liqueur or orange juice.

*1 cup powdered sugar = ¾ cup superfine or caster sugar (also known as baking sugar)