Cheese Tamales

I have never eaten a tamale before this weekend. I know, I'm crazy. Even though I have never had one, I have been craving one for weeks now. Again, CRAZY! So, to finally curb this craving and to finally eat a tamale I found this recipe in one of my cookbooks and set to work.

Making tamales is a long process, and the best way is to make many at a time and freeze the ones you won't eat in the next 3 days. I only made about 20 this time, and yes I probably should have made more, but since this was my first time I didn't want to go to far. The recipe was for cheese tamales, but I added a couple green chilies to each. Next time I will go for a meat filling!

Make sure you dedicate a couple hours to this, you want them to be perfect!

I doubled the recipe from the cookbook.

The sink was the largest thing I could find to soak the husks! 

Roasting the chilies makes the flavor intense. After roasting till the skin is black, place in a ziplock bag and allow the to "sweat" for 10 minutes. The skin should come off easily, if not take off skin under running water. Pull the chilies with fingers into long strips.

To fold them with an open end: Place the cheese and chillies (if desired) on top of the masa mixture.

1. Fold over the side with the masa and tuck under the dough and gently pull till tight.

2. Take the end and fold into the center.

 3. Carefully fold over the remaining side, making sure the top is even and the masa is secured.

4. Tie the tamale with string or a long strip of cornhusk.

My make shift steaming basket, and yes I did secure it with zip ties. :)

Cheese Tamales

The Complete Mexican, South American, & Caribbean Cookbook

Ingredients:

10 large dried cornhusks or waxed paper

6 tbl vegetable shortening, at room temperature

2 cups masa harina

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1-1 1/4 cups warm light vegetable shortening

7 oz fresh white cheese, such as feta, roughly chopped* 

*I cut my cheese into rectangles, they seemed easier to fold into the masa. I also used pepper jack cheese.

Directions:

1. Place the corn husks in a bowl and pour over bowling water to cover. Soak for 30min, until husks become soft and pliable. Remove from the water and pat dry with a clean dish towel.
2. Meanwhile, put the vegetable shortening in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Test by dropping a small amount of whipped shortening into a cup of water. If it floats, it is ready to be used.
3. Combine the masa harina, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Gradually add to the shortening, beating in 3 tablespoons at a time. As the mixture begins to thicken, start adding the stock, alternating the dry mixture and the stock until both have been used and the mixture is light and spreadable. If it feel tough, or dry to the touch, beat in a little more warm water, but don't add more stock, as the dough will already be flavorsome enough.
4. To assemble, lay the prepared corn husks on a board and spread about one-tenth of the masa mixture in the center of each, leaving a small border at either side, with a large border at the top and bottom. *There are many ways to fold tamales. See above for how I assembled them.
5. Place a piece of cheese in the center of the masa mixture. Fold one of the longer lengths of husk over, so that it covers the filling, and then repeat with the opposite end. Close the package by folding over the two remaining sides, to make a neat parcel. Secure the tamales by tying each one with a piece of string or strip of corn husk.
6. Pile the tamales in a steamer basket placed over simmering water. Cover and steam for 1 hour. Check the level of the water occasionally, topping up if necessary. The tamales are ready when the dough comes away from the corn husk cleanly. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, then serve.

Makes 10 tamales.