Buttery Fresh Corn Tamales Food

EASY CORN TAMALES

Steps:

• Working in batches, add the corn kernels to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until pale. Add the egg, salt, and baking powder. Mix to incorporate. Add the flour and pureed corn and mix until blended and forms a loose smooth dough.
• Put a corn husk lengthwise in front of you with the wide side closest to you. Spread 3 tablespoons of the dough all over the bottom half (wide side) of the corn husk, leaving about a 1-inch-wide border on the left and right sides. Pick up the 2 long sides of the corn husk and bring them together. Roll both sides of the corn husks in the same direction over the filling.
• Repeat with remaining corn husks and dough. Arrange the tamales, seam side down, in a steamer and add 1/2-inch of water. Cover with a tight fitting lid, bring to a simmer and steam for 1 hour, adding additional water, as needed to maintain 1/2-inch of water in the pan. Remove the tamales from the steamer to a serving platter and serve.

BUTTERY FRESH CORN TAMALES

Steps:

• Reconstitute the corn husks.
• Place 2 cups corn kernels in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse into a medium- coarse puree. Add the butter, and pulse 5 or 6 times. Add the masa, sugar, salt, and baking powder; pulse until thoroughly combined. Process until the mixture is light, fluffy, and homogenous, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
• Transfer mixture to a medium bowl, and stir in remaining 3/4 cup corn kernels until combined. Chill corn filling until ready to use.
• Assemble 14 tamales with the corn filling, using the large husks for wrappers and ties, and reserving the smaller ones to line the steamer basket and to cover the assembled tamales.
• Prepare the steamer, and steam the tamales. Let stand until the batter has firmed. Serve tamales with sour cream and Chopped Tomato and Serrano Salsa.

EL CHOLO'S GREEN CORN TAMALES

Steps:

• Cut both ends of corn, remove husks and save for wrapping. Cut corn kernels off the cob. In a food processor, grind the kernels with the cornmeal.
• Beat shortening and butter together until creamy. Add the sugar, half-and-half and salt. Add the corn mixture and mix well.
• For each tamale, overlap 2 corn husks. Spread some of the corn mixture onto the husks. Place 1 cheese strip and 1 chile strip on top of the mixture. Top with more corn masa. Bring the edges of the corn husks over the filling to cover completely. Place the husk on a piece of square parchment paper. Fold ends of corn husks, then fold sides of parchment over tamale and fold up ends. Tie string around ends to hold in place. Continue until all tamales are tied. Place on a rack and steam approximately 35 to 45 minutes.

NEW CORN-STUFFED TAMALES (TAMALE DE ELOTE) -- MAYAN

Steps:

• Masa harina: This is cornmeal that has been prepared with lime or wood-ash lye water. It's different from ordinary cornmeal, cooks up softer, absorbs lots of fat during its cooking, holds together better in tortillas, etc. It's available from Mexican food stores.
• To roast the fresh corn: just put them (in their husks) in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes. Husks and silk will peel off easily. Then scrape off kernels, standing cob in a big frypan to catch them. Depending on the ears, it will take 2-4 ears to make 1 1/2 cups of kernels.
• Cornhusk tamale wrappers: The ones you just prepared are probably dried out and frizzeled. If you've saved and dried husks, steep them in boiling water to cover (poured over them, not cooked) while roasting and scraping the corn. Otherwise, you'll have to use foil wrappers.
• Simmer milk and corn for about 10 minutes. Strain the corn, reserve the milk, and puree 1/2 cup of the kernels with this milk, reserving the rest for putting in the tamale dough. Add the puree to the masa, mix vigorously with spoon and whisk. In a separate large bowl, whip the soft butter, baking powder, and salt together until very fluffy. Start adding the masa mixture about 1/4 cup (guesstimated) at a time whisking and beating vigorously after each dough addition. Spend 15 minuts at least beating the masa mix into the butter. Fold in the green chile, the remaining cup of corn kernels, and grated cheese.
• Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 Tbsp each. Pat each piece into a rectangle on a trimmed cornhusk to form a square or rectangle, leaving a husk border at the edges of the tamale at least 1 inch. Now fold up the rectangle along the length of the cornhusks and pinch it into a roll, loosely. Roll the husk up completely around the dough roll. Tie the ends with strips of cornhusk (traditional), or string (easier). The wrapping shouldn't be totally tight, so steam can get inches Place the wrapped tamales seam-side down on the rack of any kind of steamer (wok with a rack and tight cover will do, I use big enameled cast-iron frypan with tight lid). Tamales shouldn't touch the boiling water. Steam for 30 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve (diners unwrap their own) with any kind of hot tomato or other type of sauce. Those celebrating New Corn eat it without sauce, but fat or butter is sometimes available.

SWEET TAMALES WITH FIGS AND RED CORN MASA

Steps:

• Rinse about 30 dried corn husks and then soak them overnight. Weigh them down with a plate so they stay submerged.
• The next day, in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the lard and butter until the mixture looks similar to merengue.
• Slowly add the sugar, baking powder, salt, ground spices, and fig jam (skip the fig jam if you're making the raspberry and chocolate variation). Continue mixing and occasionally pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
• Add the masa harina and water in parts, pausing the mixer so the dry flour doesn't poof out of the bowl. If you're using wet nixtamal masa, add it in chunks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, check on the texture of the masa, and add more water if needed.
• Run the mixer for about 3 additional minutes after you're satisfied with the masa's hydration. Then add the dried figs (or raspberries and chocolate chips) and mix briefly to distribute them throughout the batter.
• Drain the water from the corn husks and pat them dry. Separate out small or damaged husks to use for lining your pot or tearing into strips to tie around the tamales.
• Set up a tamale-making work area with the corn husks, a baking sheet for the finished tamales, a cutting board where you will fill and fold the tamales, and the bowl of masa with a spatula for scooping.
• See the gallery below and video above for visual depiction of these instructions.
• Place a corn husk on your cutting board with the narrow end/angle of the triangle closest to you. Scoop about 1/3 cup of filling and place it in the center of the husk. Fold the husk in half lengthwise, and then fold that empty double layer of husk over the filled portion of the tamale. Finally fold the pointy empty base of the tamale upward over the filled portion. Lay the folded tamale, final fold side down, on a baking sheet. Repeat until all the filling is gone.
• Tear a couple of corn husks into strips and tie them around the tamales, over the final fold if possible.
• Place a coin (e.g. nickel) on the bottom of your pot so the sound of it rattling will let you know your water is boiling. If the heat is high and the coin has gone silent, you need to add more water.
• Add the steaming basket/rack and water, making sure the water is below the level of the basket. Then line the side of the pot with some of the extra husks to prevent the tamales from being flush with the hot sides of the pot.
• Now add a loosely balled piece of aluminum foil to the pot to take up extra space (unless you've doubled the recipe or are using a small pot). Finally place your tamales in the pot with the final fold facing inward toward the foil ball. I put the larger tamales on the outside and the smaller ones in the middle.
• Cover the tamales with more of the corn husks, tucking the narrow ends under the tops of the tamales. Add a small towel to the top of the husks and cover the pot with the lid.
• Place the pot on the stove at high heat. When the water begins to boil (coin rattles), lower the heat until you feel pressure under the lid but the water is lightly boiling.
• Set a timer for 1 hour and let the tamales continue to steam.
• When the time is up, remove and unwrap one of the tamales. If the masa doesn't stick to the husk, it's done cooking. If the masa sticks to the husk, rewrap the tamale, add a little water to the pot, and steam for another 15-20 minutes before you check again.
• Serve the tamales immediately or reheat them later in the microwave or on a fry pan. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for about a week or wrap individually and freeze for several months.

TILAPIA TAMALES #RSC

Steps:

• Sprinkle the tilapia fillets with the juice of one lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to assemble tamales.
• Make the masa dough for the tamales: Beat one stick of butter with 2 tablespoons sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and beat until mixture is smooth.
• Place the corn kernels in a food processor or blender with the buttermilk and the salt and process until smooth. Add corn to the butter/egg mixture and beat until well blended.
• Stir the baking powder into the masa (harina de maiz). Add dry ingredients to the corn/butter mixture, mixing until well blended. Set aside.
• Whisk together the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, lime juice and red chile sauce to taste.
• Assemble tamales: Place a 7 by 12 inch rectangle of Reynolds Wrap Non-Stick foil on the counter, with the non-stick side facing up.
• Spread about 1/3 cup of the corn masa dough into a 3 x 5 inch rectangle in the center of the foil. Spread 1 tablespoon of the chile cream cheese mixture on top of the masa, and top with 1 tablespoon each chopped red pepper and green onions. Place one tilapia flillet on top of the cream cheese and vegetables, and spread another tablespoon of the chile cream cheese over the fish. Sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Top with another 1/3 cup masa, and spread it to cover the filling.
• Fold one short end of the foil up over the filling. Fold the two long sides in over the filling. There will be one end that is still open. Lift the tamale with the open end facing upwards and twist foil to close that end.
• Make 3 more tamales in the same way.
• Place tamales in a steamer basket, and place the basket over a pot with 2 inches of simmering water. Tamales should not touch the water. Cover tightly with a lid and steam tamales for 1 hour, checking water level from time to time.
• Let tamales cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.
• Tamales can be made ahead and reheated in the oven or in a steamer. Unwrap tamales before reheating them in the microwave. This recipe makes 4 large tamales. You can divide the filling into smaller portions to make 8-10 smaller tamales, or even 16 appetizer-size tamales.