The holiday season is upon us and this year it's time to HOLIDAY YOUR WAY! We asked members of the OC family to share some of their favorite recipes and OCLA's ALBERTO sent through his for Mexican tamales.
"I found this recipe online, in Rick Bayless's archives. He is a well-respected chef in Chicago, known for popularizing Mexican food. He and his restaurants have won multiple awards (including the prestigious James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Chef) and he has a show on PBS, Mexico One Plate at a Time. The reason I used this recipe is because it uses all of the authentic ingredients and it's also similar to my family's recipe––my lovely grandmother would not give me hers, she very super superstitious, you see." ––Alberto
Ingredients:
Batter:
2/3 cup of fresh pork lard, chilled or shortening
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 scant teaspoon salt
1 pound fresh masa, or 1 ¾ cups masa harina mixed with 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water at room temperature
2/3 cup chicken, beef, or vegetable stock (preferably homemade)
Wrapping:
4 oz dried corn husks
Filling:
6 large, dried New Mexico chiles or chiles guajillo, stems removed and seeded
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
12 oz of lean boneless pork shoulder, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
Method:
1. To make the batter: In an electric mixer bowl 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 of stock—beat until thoroughly combined. Add the remaining masa and 1/3 cup of stock; beat until light and fluffy, about two minutes. The batter should be soft but it should hold its shape in a spoon.
2. If using fresh masa, test the batter to determine if it is adequately fluffy (this will ensure light and tender tamales). Do this by dropping 1 teaspoon of batter into a cup of cold water. If it floats to the surface, it's ready.
3. Refrigerate at least one hour. Store batter in an airtight container, refrigerated, up to two days.
4. For the husks: Boil water in a pan. Turn off the heat and add husks to the water, leave there for about an hour. Put a plate on it to make sure all husks are soaked.
5. To make the filling: In a blender, combine chiles, garlic, pepper, and cumin. Add 1 1/2 cups water and blend until a smooth purée forms.
6. 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 been 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.
7. 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 of sauce; mix again to combine.
8. 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!
9. 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 the strips aren't long enough, tie two together.
10. Place another long piece, lightly dried, on a surface, wit
"I found this recipe online, in Rick Bayless's archives. He is a well-respected chef in Chicago, known for popularizing Mexican food. He and his restaurants have won multiple awards (including the prestigious James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Chef) and he has a show on PBS, Mexico One Plate at a Time. The reason I used this recipe is because it uses all of the authentic ingredients and it's also similar to my family's recipe––my lovely grandmother would not give me hers, she very super superstitious, you see." ––Alberto
Ingredients:
Batter:
2/3 cup of fresh pork lard, chilled or shortening
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 scant teaspoon salt
1 pound fresh masa, or 1 ¾ cups masa harina mixed with 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water at room temperature
2/3 cup chicken, beef, or vegetable stock (preferably homemade)
Wrapping:
4 oz dried corn husks
Filling:
6 large, dried New Mexico chiles or chiles guajillo, stems removed and seeded
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
12 oz of lean boneless pork shoulder, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
Method:
1. To make the batter: In an electric mixer bowl 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 of stock—beat until thoroughly combined. Add the remaining masa and 1/3 cup of stock; beat until light and fluffy, about two minutes. The batter should be soft but it should hold its shape in a spoon.
2. If using fresh masa, test the batter to determine if it is adequately fluffy (this will ensure light and tender tamales). Do this by dropping 1 teaspoon of batter into a cup of cold water. If it floats to the surface, it's ready.
3. Refrigerate at least one hour. Store batter in an airtight container, refrigerated, up to two days.
4. For the husks: Boil water in a pan. Turn off the heat and add husks to the water, leave there for about an hour. Put a plate on it to make sure all husks are soaked.
5. To make the filling: In a blender, combine chiles, garlic, pepper, and cumin. Add 1 1/2 cups water and blend until a smooth purée forms.
6. 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 been 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.
7. 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 of sauce; mix again to combine.
8. 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!
9. 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 the strips aren't long enough, tie two together.
10. Place another long piece, lightly dried, on a surface, wit