Oaxacan Green Tomatillo Sauce Recipes

TAMALES OAXAQUEñOS (OAXACAN-STYLE TAMALES)

Steps:

• Beat 9 ounces lard in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add salt and continue beating for a few minutes. Add masa harina and beat well until combined. Add chicken broth, 1/4 cup at a time, beating until masa has a smooth and workable consistency similar to cookie dough, about 3/4 cup total. 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, beat the dough a little longer.
• Combine tomatillos, ancho chile pepper, mulato chile pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano in a blender; blend until smooth.
• Heat remaining 2 ounces lard in a skillet and cook tomatillo sauce until lightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken and a little of the remaining chicken broth. Cook over low heat until chicken filling has thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons masa mixture onto 1 banana leaf, filling it up to 2 inches from the bottom and 1/4 inch from the top. Add 1 tablespoon of the chicken filling in the center of the masa mixture. Fold sides of banana leaf together, one over the other. Fold the bottom of the banana leaf over the seam of the 2 folded sides and tie together with kitchen string. Repeat with remaining banana leaves.
• 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 leaf, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. Let tamales rest for 15 minutes before serving.

MEXICAN GREEN SAUCE WITH TOMATILLOS AND AVOCADO (SALSA VERDE)

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender (or with mortar and pestle), process garlic and salt to a paste.
• In the processor or blender, place onion, jalapenos and tomatillos and pulse to make a slightly chunky mix. Remove to bowl.
• Halve and pit avocado and scoop out flesh. Chop finely and add to other ingredients. Add cilantro and mix well.
• Serve with tortilla chips or as a condiment for meat, fish, poultry, burritos or quesadillas.
• Makes about 2 cups.

OAXACAN GREEN TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. On a comal, or in a heavy dry skillet (preferably cast iron), roast the tomatillos, over medium heat, turning frequently, until they are barely tender and the skins are covered with black and brown spots. At the same time, put the garlic in the skillet and roast the cloves until they feel slightly tender when pinched. The pan roasting will take about 15 to 20 minutes. The skillet may be covered for the last 2 to 3 minutes to steam the tomatillos if they don't feel a little tender when lightly pinched. Peel the outer paper skins from the garlic. Put the roasted tomatillos and garlic into a blender jar. Cover the jar and blend about 6 to 8 seconds to a coarse mixture. 2. In the same skillet used for roasting the tomatillos, heat the oil, and sauté the onion 3 to 4 minutes, until softened and beginning to brown. Stir in the oregano and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Scrape the onion and oregano into the blender jar. Add the chipotle chiles and adobo sauce. Blend until smooth. Add cilantro and salt. Blend briefly. (There should still be a bit of texture.) Adjust seasoning. Transfer the salsa to a bowl. Serve at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. NOTE: Sauce will thicken as it sits. Stir it well to bring it together, and add a bit of water, if needed. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.