I've been totally slackin'--I apologize. Though my slacking is really only on blogging about things I've been cooking, restaurants I've discovered, books I've bought and new additions to my urban farm. In the near future you can look forward to posts on Tofurkey, Spanikopita, Thai Vegan, "Entertaining in the Raw" and our chickens (Dezzy, Dixie, Beonce, and Arrrrrgh). Promise. No more slacking.
But truly I have been very actively cooking. For instance, I spent all day Christmas Eve making tamales...whole new respect. I had heard that making tamales was time
consuming and intense but now I know firsthand how arduous it really is. And how rewarding.. Most tamales are not vegetarian. Often the masa has lard, the filling is pork and traditional tamale conservatives will scoff at your attempt. I felt pressured when Marcos told his father, my Mexican father-in-law that I would be bringing tamales to the Christmas brunch. I was only going to bring them if they turned out to be tasty, but now I was required. Shortly after that conversation my aunt-in-law Isela called with some helpful pointers...that's when I realized that maybe vegetarian tamales are an insult? Or maybe they're just unheard of. I don't know but I pulled it together and cranked out three varieties: calabacitas, mushroom and smoked gouda, and red chile and pickled jalepeno. Much to my delight they were tasty and though I wouldn't know what I was missing, the pork, chicken stock, and lard proved unecessary.
The key element to tamales is the masa. Masa is a type of ground cornmeal. And like corn it can be white, yellow or blue. I chose to go with a white grind, the most commonly used in making tamales. When buying my masa at the grocery store down the street a woman approached me and said something indecipherable, I must have said "What" to which she responded "Oh! Do you speak english?". I felt as though she had given me a new sense of confidence, confusing my look to be hispanic. Maybe I really looked as though I knew what I was doing (even though I didn't). Regardless, we briefly talked about tamales and their wonder, neither of us being experts but both enthusiasts.
The key element to tamales is the masa. Masa is a type of ground cornmeal. And like corn it can be white, yellow or blue. I chose to go with a white grind, the most commonly used in making tamales. When buying my masa at the grocery store down the street a woman approached me and said something indecipherable, I must have said "What" to which she responded "Oh! Do you speak english?". I felt as though she had given me a new sense of confidence, confusing my look to be hispanic. Maybe I really looked as though I knew what I was doing (even though I didn't). Regardless, we briefly talked about tamales and their wonder, neither of us being experts but both enthusiasts.
On the back of the masa was two recipes, one using water or broth and the other using lard. I chose to follow the water/broth version, because lard is disgusting and certainly not vegetarian.
Masa
2 cups masa for tamales (the masa for tortillas and chips is a finer grind. Masa is cut with lime, increasing its calcium.)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups water or broth (the first time I used a veggie broth, the second two batches I used red chile sauce)
2/3 shortening (I used Earthbalence buttery spread, but any oil will do)
Mix the first 3 ingredients first so that there are not any pockets of baking powder to detract the falvor. Slowly add the broth, mixing with your hands until the dough is soft and not sticky. Then beat in the shortening until the masa is almost fluffy. This amount will make about 1 dozen small tamales.
Tamales
Corn Husks
Masa (prepared as above)
Filling...to follow
Wet down a corn husk (the bigger the husk the easier to learn how to roll them, the smaller ones you can combine with another small husk to increase the size). Fill it with a handful of masa (depending on the size of the husk but typically about 1/2 cup). Press the masa down until it forms about a 1/2 inch tall layer on the husk. I was generous in the middle and went all the way to the left edge so that when you roll them masa fully encases the filling. Fill with filling so that the filling creates a vertical strip in the center. Roll around the filling, and tie on the ends. Place them into a large pot to steam. My pot wasn't large enough and did not completely close so each batch cooked for about 2 hours, the package claimed one. However, everyone I spoke to after the fact claims that tamales take forever, so two hours was not unheard of.
Calabacitas Filling
Calabacitas (Small squash in spanish. I used zukkinis.) precooked in saucepan with olive oil, salt and pepper
1 Ear of Corn, shaved off the cobb
2 onions, sauteed in olive oil, salt and pepper
Green Chile, roasted and torn into strips
Monterey Jack Cheese, about a pound grated
Mushroom and Smoked Gouda
Crimini Mushrooms, 1 package chopped and sauteed
Black olives, your choice
Smoked Gouda, grated, a bit less than above
Red Chile and Pickled Jalepeno
Chopped pickled jalepenos (Isela made ours, delicious)
Aged cheddar, same as above
Black beans
Red Chile Sauce
* to be mixed into the Masa...will turn it red.
5 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1/2 stick butter
3 tbsp flour
1/4-1/2 cup ground red chile
Water (about 4 cups)
Salt to taste
Saute the garlic in the butter. Slowly add the flour to create a rue. Add chile powder, stir. Slowly add the water being careful not to make the sauce to thin...you can always add more.
A good variation on this recipe is to add onions, with or without the garlic. It gives the sauce a very different flavor.
I did have designs for a spinach and roasted red bell pepper variety as well as a sweet version with walnuts, chocolate, cream cheese, cinnamon and agave. Next time.
