Spinach Cheese Roasted Pepper Tamales Recipes

SPINACH AND RED PEPPER-STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Mix together the spinach, peppers, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Butterfly the chicken: Holding your knife parallel to the cutting board, slice a breast through the middle, stopping about 1/2-inch short of the other side. Open the breast up like a book and flatten it with your palm. Place between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to a little less than 1/2-inch thick. Repeat with the remaining breasts.
• Divide the spinach mixture into four portions and place a portion in the center of each breast. Roll the breasts tightly around the filling and secure with kitchen twine. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the roll-ups and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the filling registers 160 degrees F, another 6 to 8 minutes.
• Transfer the roll-ups to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Return the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat (be careful, the handle will be very hot). Add the shallots and cook until softened, stirring, about 1 minute. Add the wine and boil until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth; boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and season with salt and pepper.
• Cut away the twine and slice the chicken into 1-inch rounds. Serve with the pan sauce and sprinkle with parsley.

SPINACH, CHEESE & ROASTED PEPPER TAMALES

Steps:

• 1. Place corn husks in hot water and let stand for 15 minutes to soften; remove and blot off excess water
• 2. Stir together masa, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add spread and mix again. Using an electric mixer beat in enough stock/broth to form a soft dough. Stir in remaining ingredients
• 3. Place equal amounts of mixture on center of each corn husk. Fold in the sides, then the bottom. Place in a steamer basket folded sides down. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 45 minutes to an hour. Best if served immediately with desired toppings

POBLANO AND CHEESE TAMALES (TAMALES DE RAJAS CON QUESO)

Steps:

• Place corn husks in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain, place on a work surface, and cover with a clean, damp towel.
• Line a heavy cast iron grill pan or griddle with aluminum foil and place over high heat. Arrange poblano peppers in a single layer on top. Grill until chiles are blackened, turning as necessary, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer into a resealable plastic bag and let them steam, 10 to 15 minutes. Peel off skin, seed, and cut them into strips.
• Place tomatillos in a pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and cook until they change color, about 5 minutes. Drain and place in a blender. Blend until smooth.
• Heat 1 tablespoon lard in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add blended tomatillos and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until flavors are well combined, about 5 minutes. Add poblano peppers and cilantro and boil for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool, about 10 minutes.
• Beat remaining lard in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add salt and continue beating for a few minutes. Add masa harina and baking powder and beat well until combined. Add chicken broth, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough has a smooth and workable consistency that is not too wet, similar to cookie dough. 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, keep working the dough a little longer.
• Select 1 wide corn husk or 2 small ones. Spread about 2 tablespoons masa mixture onto the corn husk, filling it up to 2 inches from the bottom and 1/4 inch from the top. Add 1 tablespoon of the tomatillo sauce and a piece of Monterey Jack cheese in the center of the masa mixture. Fold sides of husk together, one over the other. Fold the bottom of the husk over the seam of the 2 folded sides. Repeat with remaining husks.
• 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 husk, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Let tamales rest for 15 minutes before serving.

SPINACH AND RED PEPPER FRITTATA

Steps:

• Steam the spinach above an inch boiling water until just wilted, about two minutes; or wilt in a large frying pan with the water left on the leaves after washing. Remove from the heat, rinse with cold water and squeeze out excess water. Chop fine, and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy 10-inch nonstick skillet. Add the bell peppers. Cook, stirring often, until tender, five to eight minutes. Add the garlic and salt to taste, stir for about half a minute, and stir in the chopped spinach and the marjoram. Stir together for a few seconds, then remove from the heat and set aside.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the salt (about 1/2 teaspoon), pepper, milk, spinach and red peppers. Clean and dry the pan, and return to the burner, set on medium-high. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet. Drop a bit of egg into the pan; if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture. Tilt the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with a spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking.
• Turn the heat to low, cover and cook 10 minutes, shaking the pan gently every once in a while. From time to time, remove the lid, tilt the pan, and loosen the bottom of the frittata with a wooden spatula so that it doesn't burn. The bottom should turn a golden color. The eggs should be just about set; cook a few minutes longer if they're not.
• Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Uncover the pan and place under the broiler, not too close to the heat, for one to three minutes, watching very carefully to make sure the top doesn't burn (at most, it should brown very slightly and puff under the broiler). Remove from the heat, shake the pan to make sure the frittata isn't sticking, and allow it to cool for at least five minutes and for as long as 15 minutes. Loosen the edges with a wooden or plastic spatula. Carefully slide from the pan onto a large round platter. Cut into wedges or into smaller bite-size diamonds. Serve hot, warm, at room temperature or cold.

FRESH SPINACH TAMALE PIE

Steps:

• Place tamales in a single layer in a greased 6-qt. slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine beans, corn, onions, olives and garlic powder; spoon over tamales. In same bowl, combine pepper, sour cream and chiles; spoon over bean mixture. Top with spinach., Cook, covered, on low until heated through, 3-4 hours. Sprinkle with bacon, cheese and additional green onions.

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.