Cheese With Roasted Chile Tamales Recipes

CHEESE WITH ROASTED CHILE TAMALES (TAMALES DE RAJAS CON QUESO)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil, add flour and stir for 3 minutes. Add diced green chiles and garlic powder and stir for 5 minutes.
• Add suero, salt, and 1⁄2 cup of shredded cheese, and simmer for 7 minutes, stirring until cheese melts and mixture thickens. Reserve the additional shredded cheese to sprinkle over mixture in each tamal (about 1 tablespoon each). Let mixture cool before filling tamales.

CHICKEN, CHILES AND CHEESE TAMALES

Steps:

• In small bowl, combine masa harina flour and hot water.
• In large bowl, beat lard, salt and baking powder with electric mixer on medium-high speed 1 minute. In 3 additions, beat in flour mixture. Reduce speed to medium-low; beat in 1 cup of the broth. Beat in additional broth until a soft, but not runny batter forms. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, place corn husks in large container; cover with warm water. Soak 30 minutes or until soft and pliable.
• While corn husks are soaking, roast chiles under broiler, turning occasionally, until all sides are charred. Place charred chiles in resealable plastic bag or bowl covered with plastic wrap; let stand 15 minutes.
• Peel skins from roasted chiles; remove all seeds. Rinse chiles under cool water. Coarsely chop; place in another large bowl. Add chicken and cheese; mix well.
• If desired, tear 20 (1/8-inch-wide) strips of corn husk to be used to wrap and tie each tamale before steaming.
• To make each tamale, place 1 or 2 corn husks flat on work surface. (You may need 2 if they are narrow. If using 2, overlap them slightly.) Using butter knife, spread about 3 tablespoons batter to cover about 2/3 of corn husk. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons filling onto center. Fold 2 edges in half lengthwise; crimp edge and tuck edges under themselves to seal. Fold bottom end up about 1 inch.
• Working in batches, use large steamer or collapsible vegetable steamer set in large deep saucepan of boiling water. Place tamales, open end facing up, in steamer. Cover; steam 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours or until tamales can easily be peeled away from corn husks.

CHEESE WITH ROASTED CHILE TAMALES: TAMALES DE QUESO CON RAJAS

Steps:

• Place corn husks in clean kitchen sink with plug to hold water, pour very hot water over husks and let soak. Take husks out of water and allow to drain in dish drainer (try to stand them straight up so that the water will drain easier).
• For the Masa: Place all dry ingredients in mixer and blend. Pour hot shortening into dry ingredients slowly and blend until evenly distributed about 2 minutes. Pour 1 quart of the hot chicken broth into mixture slowly so as not to splash. Mix on medium until incorporated. Slowly add additional broth to mixture until it is a slightly thicker consistency of hummus (spreadable). Mix on high for about 5 minutes to make it light and fluffy. Stir in the chiles.
• Mix all the cheese together and then make logs the size of a frankfurter, about 5 inches long and 3/4-inch thick. Cover and refrigerate.
• Take masa and husks to your area to begin spreading the masa. Take a husk and make sure that you have the smooth, shiny side up and put about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the masa and spread it with a metal spatula across the center of the husk and then down to about a 1/4-inch from the end and you should have at least 2-inches from the top. Chef's Note: I normally stack a few then I put a cheese log in and roll them up and place them in the steamer.
• When you have completed all of the stuffing and rolling, place them in the steamer and put on the stove top. Bring the steamer to a rolling boil and turn down to a medium boil and let cook for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours till done.

ROASTED POBLANO CHILE AND CHEESE TAMALE FILLING

Steps:

• Char chiles on a gas burner or broil in the oven, turning often, until blackened all over, about 10 minutes. Put in a bowl, cover, and let steam 20 minutes.
• Using a paper towel, peel blistered skin off chiles. Stem and seed chiles, then slice into 1/2-in. strips lengthwise. Halve any pieces longer than about 3 in. Season with salt.
• Pull Oaxaca cheese apart into pieces about 1/2 in. wide and 3 in. long. If using Monterey jack, cut into 1/2- by 3-in. sticks.
• Make ahead: Up to 2 days, char and peel chiles and prep cheese; keep chilled.

CHEESE WITH ROASTED CHILE TAMALES

Steps:

• MAKE TAMALE MASA:, Place 1 pound of lard in a large stand mixer with a flat beater and mix until fluffy; scraping sides so the lard stays in the center of the mixing bowl. Add half the baking powder and half the salt and mix all together., Add half the masa and mix together. Slowly add half the broth to the masa and mix until combined. The mixture should be about the consistency of smooth peanut butter. If not, add more broth as necessary. Test the masa by taking a small piece (1/2 teaspoon) and dropping it into a cup of warm water. If it floats, it is ready. If it sinks, add a little more lard, beat for another minute, and test again. Repeat this process until the masa floats. Pour the masa mixture into a bigger bowl. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients., Cover the masa and set aside while you prepare filling., For filling, heat olive oil, add flour and stir for 3 minutes. Add diced green chiles and garlic powder and stir for 5 minutes., Add suero, salt, and ½ cup of shredded cheese, and simmer for 7 minutes, stirring until cheese melts and mixture thickens. Let mixture cool before filling tamales., PREPARE OJAS (CORN HUSKS):, Soak corn husks in water for an hour before using, rinse well with running water to take off any dust or corn husk fibers. To keep corn husks pliable and easy to work with, keep in water while filling tamales. Place a handful of wet corn husks in a colander to drain before using., SPREAD MASA:, Place the wide end of the husk on the palm of your hand. The narrow end is at the top. Starting at the middle of the husk, with the back of a spoon, spread 2 tablespoons of the masa in a rectangle or oval shape, using a downward motion towards the wide-bottom edge. Do not spread the masa to the ends; leave about a 2-inch border on the left and right sides of the husk., FILL CORN HUSKS:, Spoon 1½ tablespoons of filling down the center of the masa, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cheese. Fold both sides to the center; finish off by bringing the pointed end of the husk toward the filled end. Make sure it's a snug closure so the tamale will not open during steaming. Secure by tying a thin strip of corn husk around the tamale. This will keep the tamale from unwrapping during the steaming process, especially if the husk is too thick and will not stay folded., STEAM TAMALES:, Use a deep pot or tamale steamer to steam tamales. If using a tamale steamer, fill with water up to the fill line. Set the tamale rack over the water. Place tamales upright with fold against the sides of the other tamales to keep them from unfolding. Cover pot with a tight fitting lid. Set heat on high and bring to a boil, about 15 minutes. Lower heat and simmer for 2½ to 3 hours. Keep lid on tightly. To test if done, place one tamale on a plate and take off the corn husk. If it comes off without sticking to the tamale, they're done.

ROASTED CHILE AND CHEESE TAMALES

Steps:

• The day before making tamales stir together masa, shortening, baking powder, salt and water in a large bowl until combined. (Add additional water as needed. It should be about the cnsistency of peanut butter.) Cover with a damp towel and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Remove masa from refrigerator and kneed to soften. Spread about 1/3 cup masa on the upper half of each corn husk; top with equal amounts of cheese,poblano and a sprinkle of jalapenos. Fold in sides, and bottom of husk; tie the folded end with small stips of corn husk to secure, if you like. (Tamales may be frozen at this point for up to 3 months). Place folded end down in a steamer basket and cook, covered, for 1 hour. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.