Spinach And Mushroom Tamale Filling Recipes

VEGETARIAN TAMALES WITH SPINACH, CORN AND CHEESE FILLING

Steps:

• Dried corn husks need to be soaked in warm water prior to using to make them soft & pliable. Fill a deep pan with warm water and soak the dried husks for 15~20 minutes.
• Soak more husks than you need for the recipe because there might be rips and tears and also you need a few extra to line the steamer basket and tie the tamales. Once the husks are ready, then drain and keep them ready.
• Heat oil in a saute pan on medium heat, add the onions and cook till they translucent. Stir in the garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
• Add green pepper, corn and spinach. Cook covered till the veggies are tender, about 3~5 minutes.
• Stir in cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Mix well and turn off the heat.
• Set up the steaming basket. Fill the pot with 2~3" of water, or whatever level will stay below the steamer basket. Line the steamer basket with a few corn husks and keep ready.
• In a large mixing bowl, with a handheld mixer or in a stand mixer, cream together the shortening and margarine until creamy and light.
• Sift in the masa harina, baking powder, garlic powder and salt, then continue to beat for about 3 minutes, until a sandy looking mixture forms.
• Pour the vegetable stock into the masa mixture and continue to beat until all the liquid is absorbed and a fluffy dough forms, about 5 minutes.
• The tamale dough should have a moist -- almost like mashed potato consistency - and should be easily spread with a rubber spatula. If the mixture seems too wet, then sprinkle in another tablespoon or two of masa harina. If too dry, then drizzle a tablespoon of vegetable stock until the desired consistency is reached. Use this dough right away for making tamales.
• Once Step 1~4 are done, get ready to make the tamales.
• For each tamale, spread a generous ¼cup of dough down the center of a pliable soaked corn husk, leaving at least 1½" on either end. This will form a oblong of 4~5" wide and ⅜~½" thick. Spoon 1 generous tablespoon of filling down the center of the tamale dough, then top with a little of the grated cheese.
• Grab both the edges of the corn husk that are not covered with dough. Bring the edges toward each other and push the sides of the masa dough together to encase the filling. Gently press the tamale to form a firm, solid tube shape. Tightly twist each end of the tamale wrapper and tightly tie each end with a soaked corn husk strip. You can even use kitchen twine to tie the tamales.
• About half way through the tamale making, turn the steam basket on and get the water going. So that the steamer will be ready for you when the tamales are done.
• Fill a large saucepan with 2~3" water. Line the steamer basket with a few soaked corn husks. Set the tamales upright in the basket, starting from the sides of the basket and working inward. Top with any leftover corn husks.
• Place the steamer basket in the pot, cover and steam for at least 45~55 minutes. Halfway through cooking, make sure to see if the water in the steamer has all evaporated. If it is, then pour water.
• Check one to see if they are done, if not steam for an additional 5~10 minutes.
• Add about 2 cups of water in the instant pot container. Place the prepared tamale in a steamer basket. Close the lid and put the vent to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Let the pressure reduce naturally.

SPINACH AND MUSHROOM TAMALE FILLING

Steps:

• Begin with the spinach by washing, stemming, and chopping it into approximately 1/4-1/2 inch pieces. Mince the garlic and onions; brush, slice, and chop the mushrooms.
• Over medium-high heat in a *very* large pot (I use my largest Le Creuset) heat the oil. Add the minced garlic and scallion and sauté quickly, stirring, for about 20 seconds (careful not to burn the garlic!).
• Quickly decrease the temperature to medium and add the sliced mushrooms, and allow to sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped spinach, salt, sugar, pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon. (This step is admittedly the messiest part of making the filling, because spinach is so much larger before it cooks down; I usually add it about a 1/3 at a time to the large pot, stir it and wait for it to cook down a bit, and add more until I've got all of it into the pot. Cover it for about 2 minutes, stir again and uncover, and continue cooking.) Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.
• Pour cooked mixture into a colander and allow to drain - if you like, you can reserve the juices for making sauce for the tamales after they're cooked or for some other use.
• Lower the temperature to low and add the crema and cotija and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring so that it's mixed well and the cheeses do not scald. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• Use as filling for your tamales and enjoy! I prefer to make a simple crema and garlic sauce for these tamales, but a red sauce is also good (although it can overpower the lighter tasting tamales, so you'll want to be careful). Also, although the small amount of salt might not seem like enough when reading through the recipe, remember that cotija cheese is salty - it provides plenty of seasoning to the filling.

MIXED MUSHROOM TAMALES

Steps:

• Cover husks with hot water by 2 inches in a large bowl and soak, kept submerged with an inverted plate, turning husks occasionally, until soft, about 30 minutes. Rinse husks, 1 at a time, under running water. Pile 24 of largest husks on a plate and cover with a dampened kitchen towel. Tear some of remaining husks lengthwise into 24 (1/2-inch-wide) strips to use as ties (keep damp as well).
• Cover porcini with 1 cup very hot water in a small bowl and soak 30 minutes. Lift out porcini, squeezing liquid back into bowl (reserve liquid), then rinse mushrooms to remove any grit. Coarsely chop porcini. Pour soaking liquid through a paper-towel-lined sieve into a glass measure and reserve.
• Heat 1/2 stick butter in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over high heat until foam subsides, then sauté onion and garlic, stirring, 1 minute. Add mushrooms (including porcini) and epazote (if using) and sauté, stirring occasionally, until liquid is released, about 3 minutes.
• Add porcini soaking liquid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is evaporated and mushrooms are slightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes, then sprinkle with pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
• Beat remaining 1 1/2 sticks butter with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Sift masa harina with baking powder, sugar, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt into a bowl. Stir in 1 1/2 cups very hot water until a thick paste forms.
• Beat masa mixture into butter in 3 batches, beating until smooth after each addition. Reduce speed to low and mix in mushroom mixture until just combined.
• Put 1 husk on a work surface, pointed end closest to you, and, spreading it flat, mound 3 tablespoons filling in center and flatten slightly into a rough oval (about 1/2 inch thick) with back of a spoon, leaving a 1-inch border on both sides. Bring pointed end of husk up over mound of filling to cover, and fold sides of husk over filling to enclose. Gather together open end of husk at top of filling, creating a flat pouch, and tie with a corn-husk strip. Assemble 23 more tamales in same manner.
• Arrange tamales upright in 1 layer in steamer insert so they resemble falling dominoes in rows. Set steamer over boiling water in pot and cover with a folded kitchen towel (towel absorbs condensation so tamales don't get soggy). Steam tamales, tightly covered with a lid, adding more water as necessary, until filling is tender, about 30 minutes. To check for doneness, open 1 steamed tamale and if any part of filling is still gummy, steam 5 to 10 minutes more.