Goat Cheese Tamales Food

WARM GOAT-CHEESE TIMBALES

Steps:

• Make timbales:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil ramekins and line bottoms with rounds of wax paper. oil paper.
• Blend goat cheese and butter in a food processor until smooth. Add remaining timbale ingredients and salt and pepper to taste, then blend well. Pour into ramekins, filling them about three-quarters full.
• Bake timbales in a water bath in middle of oven until pale golden and slightly puffed and a knife inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer ramekins to a rack and cool 10 minutes.
• Prepare salad:
• Whisk together lemon juice and shallot in a large bowl, then let stand 10 minutes. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until well blended. Season with salt and pepper, then toss with mesclun. Divide salad among individual plates.
• Run a knife around edge of each timbale to loosen, then invert each onto a salad. Remove paper from timbales and serve.

GOAT CHEESE TAMALES

Steps:

• Combine masa, baking powder, and salt in mixing bowl.
• Using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, add butter, cheese, and shortening.
• Mix at high speed for 3 minutes-- add water and beat at low speed for 2 minutes.
• Scrape bowl and add corn -- beat for 1 minute more.
• Wrap dough and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
• On an open dried corn husk, spread 4oz. masa in a large circle in the middle of husk.
• Roll from the sides.
• Using strips of re-hydrated husk, tie off both ends tightly.
• Steam for 30 minutes.
• Serve and top with ancho mole sauce and a side of salsa fresca.

SMOKED LAMB AND GOAT CHEESE ENCHILADA WITH ALMOND MOLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Cold smoke the lamb and tomatoes. Burn charcoal or wood in smoker and let burn down to embers. Lay chips of soaked aromatic (e.g. oak, hickory) wood on the ashes. Place the lamb on the grill rack, place the cover on the smoker and open the top vent slightly. Smoke the lamb for 5 minutes. Rub the tomatoes with olive oil, remove the cover and add the tomatoes and continue smoking along with the lamb for 10 minutes. Or buy smoked lamb or use regular lamb and grill in pan. Slice the lamb in half vertically and then crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Dice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch dice. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan until almost smoking. Add the lamb, season with salt and pepper and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until browned. Add the scallions and tomatoes and cook 3 to 4 minutes, for medium-rare doneness. Lay the tortillas flat on a surface. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the Monterey Jack on each of the tortillas place some of the lamb mixture over the cheese and sprinkle with goat cheese and cilantro, fold the short ends in and roll tightly lengthwise. Ladle the mole sauce over and garnish with cilantro.
• In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat the oil to 360 degrees F. Fry the tortillas and all the chiles until crisp. Remove with tongs and place in a food processor or blender. Add the onion and garlic to the oil and fry until browned, about 2 minutes; add to the processor. Pour out all but 2 tablespoons of the oil and toast the almonds until golden brown. Add to the processor. Add 1 cup of stock to the processor and process the tortillas, chiles, onion, garlic and almonds to a puree, adding more stock if needed. Pour the puree into a medium saucepan and add the remaining stock, the tomatoes and raisins. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce the heat to medium and simmer 1 hour and 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chocolate, maple syrup, cinnamon, cloves and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer another 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.

SPICY SHRIMP TAMALES WITH ROASTED TOMATILLO SAUCE AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Place tomatillos, onion, garlic, and green chiles in a roasting pan and bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor along with any juices that are at the bottom of the pan. Add the cumin, salt, and cilantro. Pulse the mixture until combined but still chunky. You may add a bit of water or broth if the mixture is too thick. Reserve half the sauce to serve with the tamales.
• In a deep bowl, combine the masa and remaining half of the tomatillo sauce. Beat until fully incorporated and the dough is green. Fold in the softened goat cheese.
• Set the cornhusks on a sheet pan covered by a damp towel. Lay the husk flat on a plate with the smooth side up and the narrow end facing you. Spread a thin, even layer of the masa mixture over the surface of the husk with a tablespoon that is dipped in water. Fold the narrow end up to the center then fold both sides together to enclose the filling. The sticky masa will form a seal. Pinch the wide top closed.
• Stand the tamales up in a large steamer or colander with the pinched end up. Load the steamer into a large pot filled with 2-inches of water. The water should not touch the tamales. Lay a damp cloth over the tamales and cover with lid. Keep the water at a low boil, checking periodically to make sure the water doesn't boil away. Steam the tamales for 2 hours.
• Coat the shrimp with cumin, chili powder, cayenne, coriander, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in a saute pan, cook the shrimp for 5 minutes until pink. To serve, unfold the tamales, top with the spicy shrimp and spoon the reserved tomatillo sauce over the top.