Quick Chicken And Cheese Tamales Food

CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• Place the corn husks in warm water; soak for 30 minutes, or until they're soft and pliable.
• While the husks soak, stir together the chicken, cheese, cilantro, peas, olives and salsa in a bowl. Add the cornmeal mix and stir until combined.
• Remove 2 corn husks from the water. Tear into 12 thin strips for tying up the tamales; set aside.
• Unfold a soaked husk, wide-end up, on a work surface. Starting at the top edge, spoon 2/3 cup filling down the center and mold into a 4-by-2-inch rectangle, leaving room at the bottom for folding.
• Roll up the tamale jelly roll-style to enclose the filling. Fold up the bottom end of the husk and tie with one of the strips of husk. Repeat with the remaining husks, filling and ties.
• Add 1 inch of water to a deep pot with a tight-fitting lid; place a steamer basket in the pot. Arrange the tamales upright (closed-end down) in the basket. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat; cover and steam the tamales for 25 minutes, adding more water as needed.
• Carefully remove the tamales from the steamer and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter; untie and open the husks, then garnish the tamales with chopped fresh cilantro.
• Photography by Jim Franco

CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• Soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water, using a plate to keep them submerged, until pliable, 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring the bouillon powder and 4 cups water to a simmer in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the chicken and simmer until cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and let cool; cut into small pieces. Reserve the broth.
• Puree the cilantro and 1 1/4 cups of the reserved broth in a food processor until smooth (save the remaining broth for another use). Transfer to a medium pot. Add the garlic, cumin and salsa and bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook until slightly reduced, about 12 minutes. Stir in the chicken and season with salt. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Make the dough: Soak the ancho chile in hot water until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain the chile, then mince to make a paste. Combine the chile paste, masa harina, lard, 2 2/3 cups warm water and 2 teaspoons salt
• in a bowl. Mix with your hands (or use a mixer with the paddle attachment) 10 to 15 minutes, or until a marble-size ball of dough floats in water.
• Drain the husks and pat dry. Starting 1/2 inch from the wide end, spread about 3 tablespoons of the dough down a husk, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken filling down the center of the dough, then fold in the sides of the husk, wrapping the dough around the filling. Fold up the narrow end of the husk. Repeat with the remaining husks, dough and filling.
• Set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with 1 to 2 inches of water. Arrange the tamales standing up in the steamer, folded-side down. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover and steam until the tamales pull away from the husks, about 1 hour. Remove from the steamer and let cool slightly before unwrapping.

CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• Cover corn husks with cold water; soak until softened, at least 2 hours., Place chicken, onion, salt and garlic in a 6-qt. stockpot. Pour in 3 qt. water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until chicken is tender, 45-60 minutes. Remove chicken from broth. When cool enough to handle, remove bones and skin; discard. Shred chicken. Strain cooking juices; skim fat. Reserve 6 cups stock., For dough, beat shortening until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in small amounts of masa harina alternately with small amounts of reserved stock, using no more than 2 cups stock. Drop a small amount of dough into a cup of cold water; dough should float. If not, continue beating, rechecking every 1-2 minutes., For filling, heat oil in a Dutch oven; stir in flour until blended. Cook and stir over medium heat until lightly browned, 7-9 minutes. Stir in seasonings, chicken and remaining stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 45 minutes., Drain corn husks and pat dry; tear 4 husks to make 20 strips for tying tamales. (To prevent husks from drying out, cover with a damp towel until ready to use.) On wide end of each remaining husk, spread 3 tablespoons dough to within 1/2 in. of side edges; top each with 2 tablespoons chicken filling and 2 teaspoons olives. Fold long sides of husk over filling, overlapping slightly. Fold over narrow end of husk; tie with a strip of husk to secure., Place a large steamer basket in the stockpot over water; place tamales upright in steamer. Bring to a boil; steam, covered, adding hot water as needed, until dough peels away from husk, about 45 minutes.

QUICK CHICKEN-AND-CHEESE TAMALES

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse the masa harina with the baking powder and salt.
• Add the water and pulse to moisten the masa harina.
• Add the vegetable shortening in clumps and drizzle with the chicken stock.
• Process until smooth and evenly blended, scraping the side of the bowl occasionally.
• Transfer the dough to a large bowl and stir in the shredded chicken, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro and scallions.
• Tear twelve 12-inch-square sheets of plastic wrap.
• Working with 6 at a time, spoon a scant 1/2 cup of the tamale mixture onto the center of each sheet.
• With lightly moistened hands, press the tamales into 4-by-2-inch rectangles, about 1/2 inch thick.
• Fold up the squares of plastic around the tamales, twist the ends securely and then fold them under to make packets.
• Repeat to form the remaining tamales.
• Arrange the tamales seam side down in the bottom of a large bamboo (or other) steamer.
• Steam over 2 inches of boiling water for 25 minutes.
• Let the tamales cool slightly, then carefully transfer them to a large platter:
• Cut the ends of the plastic-wrapped packets and slide the tamales out onto the platter.
• Serve the tamales with hot sauce and a Juicy, cherry-rich Merlot: 2005 Covey Run Columbia Valley.

EASY CHICKEN TAMALE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Stir cornbread mix, milk, and eggs together in a bowl; batter will be slightly lumpy. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute for about 1 minute. Add chicken, poblano peppers, chili powder, cumin, and garlic. Cook and stir until chicken is crumbly and browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add diced tomatoes, corn, pinto beans, olives, and enchilada sauce; cook until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour mixture into a 9x13-inch pan and spoon cornbread batter over the top.
• Bake in the oven until cornbread topping is golden brown, about 25 minutes.

30 MINUTE CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• Soak the corn husks in warm water until soft.
• Using an electric mixer, blend the masa flour (Maseca for Tamales), corn oil, salt, baking powder and the chicken broth to obtain a consistent mixture.
• Shred the chicken and marinate in the green salsa or tomatillo sauce.
• Spread masa evenly over corn husks, and spread a spoonful of marinated chicken on top of the masa.
• Fold the sides of the corn husk to center over the masa so that they overlap to make a long package.
• Fold the empty part of the husk under so that it rests against the side of the tamale with a seam.
• Place the tamales in a steamer and cook tamales for 35-40 minutes.
• Check every 20 minutes.
• The tamale is cooked when it separates easily from the corn husk.