Cheese Tamales Food

CHEESE TAMALES

Steps:

• Place 12 husks in a large bowl, cover with hot water, and weigh down with a plate to keep husks submerged. Soak until soft and pliable, about 2 hours; drain. Peel remaining husks into thin strips to yield 24.
• Place poblanos directly over open flame and char, turning with tongs, until blackened on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and steam 10 minutes. Using a paper towel, peel skin from peppers. Remove stems and seeds and coarsely chop.
• Place a corn husk in your flattened palm. Pinch 1/4 cup dough with other hand and press into center of husk to make a 4-by-3-inch rectangle.
• Press 1/4 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons chopped poblanos into center of dough. Close palm to seal edges of dough and place on a clean work surface with a long side of husk facing you. Roll husk away from you to form a tight log. Fold stem end of husk over and tie with a strip of corn husk. Twist thin end of tamale and tie with another strip of corn husk. Repeat this process to form remaining tamales.
• Insert a steamer basket inside a large pot with 1/2 inch boiling water. Place tamales in basket, cover pot, and steam tamales for 1 hour, checking pot occasionally and adding hot water as needed to prevent scorching the bottom of the pot.
• Serve tamales with salsa verde.

BEAN AND CHEESE TAMALES

Steps:

• Put the oil into a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove half and reserve it for the tamale dough.
• To the pan with the remaining onions add the beans, hot sauce, chili powder and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly. (Reserve 1 cup for the Round 2 Recipe, Bean and Cheese Chalupas.)
• In a large bowl combine the cornmeal, 1 teaspoon of salt and the baking powder. Cut the butter into the cornmeal using a fork or a pastry blender. Add the broth, a little at a time, until the dough comes together. Mix in the reserved cooked onions and garlic
• Cut parchment paper into 8 (8 by 8-inch) squares. Spread 1/3 cup of the tamale dough onto the center of the paper and lightly press it into a circle. Put a heaping tablespoon of the beans on top with a tablespoon of cheese. Bring the 2 corners of the paper at the ends of the rectangle up to encase the beans and cheese with the tamale dough. Fold the corners together a couple of times. Fold the other sides over to cover the seam and turn right side up. Continue this process with the remaining dough and filling.
• Put a steamer basket into a large pot and add enough water to come just below the basket. Cover the pot and put it over medium-low heat to bring the water to a simmer. Put the tamales in the steamer basket. Cover and steam the tamales until the dough is cooked through, about 1 hour, Check after 30 minutes, you may need to add more water to the pot. Remove the tamales from paper wrapping and serve warm.

QUICK AND EASY CHEESE TAMALES

Steps:

• Remove the tamales and serve warm. Enjoy!

SMOKED CHEDDAR CHEESE TAMALES

Steps:

• Put the corn husks in a roasting pan of warm water; soak until softened, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the dough: Whisk the masa harina, baking soda and sea salt in a large bowl. Stir in the chicken broth and lard with a wooden spoon to make a thick dough. (If it seems dry, add a splash of broth.) Let the dough rest 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Put the poblanos on a foil-lined broiler pan; broil, turning, until charred, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside 10 minutes. Peel off the skins, then stem, seed and dice the peppers.
• Heat the butter and vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and scallions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the poblanos, tomatoes and vinegar, season with kosher salt and pepper, and cook 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Fold in both cheeses.
• Remove the corn husks from the water and gently squeeze dry. Tear 4 husks into thin strips to use as ties. Spread a heaping tablespoonful of dough onto the wide end of each remaining husk, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the top and both sides and 3 inches on the tapered end. Spread 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture over the dough, then roll up the tamale into a cigar shape. Fold up the tapered end and tie closed with a strip of husk.
• Put the tamales upright in a steamer basket set over a few inches of boiling water; steam until the filling is firm, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the tamales and let rest 10 minutes.
• Mix the sour cream and lime zest in a small bowl and season with kosher salt. Unwrap the tamales and serve with the lime sour cream.

TAMALES

Steps:

• Put the lard in the bowl of a mixer and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Add the masa harina and beat for 2 minutes more. Add the baking powder and salt and continue to beat until incorporated, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and continue to beat until the masa is soft and fluffy (the masa should come off the bowl easily). Set aside, cover with a damp towel and let rest for about 10 minutes, or until ready to use.
• Put the corn husks in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until soft, about 8 minutes. Drain.
• To fill the tamales: Holding an open softened corn husk in one hand, spread about 2 tablespoons of the dough on the husk beginning 1 inch from the wider top and ending at least 1 1/2 inches from the narrower bottom, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border on either side. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of filling down the center of each tamal. Fold the sides of the husk up and over the filling, tucking the ends under. Continue with the remaining dough.
• Put the folded tamales in the steamer basket of a large pot. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pot by several inches, but not enough to touch the tamales themselves. Bring to a boil, cover with a towel and lid and steam over medium-low heat for 1 hour, adding additional water to the pot as necessary; do not allow the pot to boil dry. Open a tamal and check for doneness; the tamal should be firm and pull away from the husk without sticking. If still sticky, continue steaming until done, up to another 15 minutes.
• Char the poblanos directly over a gas flame on the stove or under the broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in a plastic bag and let steam for about 10 minutes.
• Peel, stem, seed and devein the chiles. Slice into 1/4-inch strips lengthwise and season with salt. Place 2 to 3 rajas (pepper strips) and 1 tablespoon shredded cheese in each tamal.
• For the guajillo chicken filling: Put the chicken, 3 cloves of the garlic, the halved onion and the bay leaves in a large heavy saucepot and add enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes, then skim and cover the pot. Continue to simmer until the chicken is fully cooked, 30 more minutes. Set aside until the chicken is cool enough to handle.
• Add the chiles, remaining 4 cloves garlic and the quartered onion to a pot with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Transfer the ingredients to a blender. Add the cumin and cloves and process until smooth.
• Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy saucepot. Transfer the chile mixture to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Shred the chicken, discarding the bones and excess fat. (Reserve the cooking liquid for another use.) Transfer the shredded chicken into the simmering salsa. Cook until reduced by two-thirds and the flavors are incorporated, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• When blending hot liquids, first let cool for 5 minutes or so, then transfer to a blender, filling only halfway. Put the lid on, leaving one corner open; this will prevent the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters and pulse until smooth.

POBLANO AND CHEESE TAMALES (TAMALES DE RAJAS CON QUESO)

Steps:

• Place corn husks in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain, place on a work surface, and cover with a clean, damp towel.
• Line a heavy cast iron grill pan or griddle with aluminum foil and place over high heat. Arrange poblano peppers in a single layer on top. Grill until chiles are blackened, turning as necessary, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer into a resealable plastic bag and let them steam, 10 to 15 minutes. Peel off skin, seed, and cut them into strips.
• Place tomatillos in a pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and cook until they change color, about 5 minutes. Drain and place in a blender. Blend until smooth.
• Heat 1 tablespoon lard in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add blended tomatillos and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until flavors are well combined, about 5 minutes. Add poblano peppers and cilantro and boil for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool, about 10 minutes.
• Beat remaining lard in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add salt and continue beating for a few minutes. Add masa harina and baking powder and beat well until combined. Add chicken broth, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough has a smooth and workable consistency that is not too wet, similar to cookie dough. Test if the masa is ready by dropping a small ball of masa into a glass of cold water; if it floats, it's ready, if not, keep working the dough a little longer.
• Select 1 wide corn husk or 2 small ones. Spread about 2 tablespoons masa mixture onto the corn husk, filling it up to 2 inches from the bottom and 1/4 inch from the top. Add 1 tablespoon of the tomatillo sauce and a piece of Monterey Jack cheese in the center of the masa mixture. Fold sides of husk together, one over the other. Fold the bottom of the husk over the seam of the 2 folded sides. Repeat with remaining husks.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add tamales with the open side up and cook until filling is heated through and separates from the husk, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Let tamales rest for 15 minutes before serving.