Tamale Casserole With Chicken And Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Recipes

CHICKEN TAMALES WITH TOMATILLO SALSA

Steps:

• Place tomatillos, onion, cilantro, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules in a blender (this might take two batches, depending on blender capacity). Blend on high until smooth (if needed add 1 to 2 tablespoons water to ease blending).
• Heat the oil in a 3-qt container over medium high heat. Place the salsa in the container and cook until it turns a deeper green and reduces by ¼ (it should be thick).
• Mix the cooked shredded chicken with 1 1/4 cups salsa. Set aside the remaining salsa for serving once the tamales are cooked and ready to be served.
• Pull 1/4-inch strings from reserved husks to wrap the tamales (or use twine) and set aside. Cover the corn husks (including the pulled strings) with warm water and let stand until pliable (at least 30 minutes).
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix 2 cups of the broth, masa, lard, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon granules, and baking powder. Beat with an electric mixer until well combined, adding the remaining chicken broth as needed to make a soft dough (the dough should be moist, but not sticky). Drain the corn husks and pat dry with paper towels.
• Place 3 level tablespoons of dough on each corn husk. Slightly spread the dough out, making an indentation in the center with the back of a spoon. Place about 1 tablespoon of chicken tomatillo mix on the center of the dough and fold dough around filling (if corn husks are too small, overlap 2 husks).
• Fold the bottom one-third of the corn husk over the filling and fold the sides in towards the center. Tie the tops with corn husk strings (or twine). In a 10 to 12-quart tamales steamer, pour boiling water under the steamer insert, almost touching it (the water should not touch the tamales when they are added).
• Stand the tamales inside pot, leaning against the sides all around. Cover and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer gently for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until the tamale dough becomes firm. Add more water if needed during cooking time. Let stand uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Carefully unfold each tamale by removing the string and opening the husk. To serve, carefully open the tamales and top with the remaining warm tomatillo salsa and a dollop of sour cream.

TAMALE CASSEROLE WITH CHICKEN AND ROASTED-TOMATILLO SALSA

Steps:

• Heat the broiler. Place the tomatillos on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet 4 inches below the heating element. Broil tomatillos, turning once, until soft and blackened in spots, 8 to 9 minutes. Remove baking sheet from broiler, and set aside until tomatillos are cool. Position the oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Reduce the temperature to 425 degrees. Lightly oil an 8-inch pie plate; set plate aside.
• Place garlic in a medium skillet set over medium heat. After 5 minutes, add chiles. Cook, turning occasionally, until chiles and garlic are soft and blackened in spots, about 10 minutes more. Remove skillet from heat; set aside to cool. Peel the garlic.
• Transfer the tomatillos, any accumulated juice, chiles, and garlic to the bowl of a food processor or the jar of a blender. Cover, and pulse until a coarse puree forms. Transfer puree to a medium bowl.
• Place the onions in a sieve, and rinse under cold running water. Drain, and add to tomatillo mixture along with cilantro and salt; stir salsa until combined.
• Measure 3/4 cup salsa into a medium saute pan, and stir in the chicken. Set over medium heat, and cook, stirring, until chicken becomes tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
• Spread half of the tamale batter over bottom of prepared pie plate. Spread the chicken filling evenly over the batter, then spread remaining batter over chicken.
• Bake until golden, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce temperature to 300 degrees, and lightly brush top of pie with oil; loosely cover with foil. Continue baking until golden and center springs back when touched, about 35 minutes more. Remove casserole from oven, and let stand 5 minutes.
• Cut the casserole into wedges. Serve casserole warm, and drizzle with the remaining tomatillo salsa; if salsa is too thick to drizzle, thin with 1 or 2 tablespoons water.

TAMALE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Unwrap tamales and cut into thick chunks. Place a portion of the chopped tamales in the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. Then layer the onions, cheese, tortilla chips and chili without beans.
• Repeat this until all ingredients are used, topping off with cheese and chips. Then sprinkle with the water.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 to 45 minutes.

EASY TAMALE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease. Season beef with salt and pepper.
• Stir onion into the ground beef; cook and stir for 1 minute and immediately remove skillet from heat.
• Stir pinto beans and crushed tomatoes into the beef mixture.
• Beat cream-style corn, cornbread mix, and egg together in a bowl until smooth; spread over the top of the ground beef mixture in the skillet. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the corn mixture.
• Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is melted and the cornbread is set in the middle, about 25 minutes.

TAMALE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Cut tamales into 3/4-in. slices. Place in a greased shallow 1-qt. baking dish. Top with half of the chili and onion. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup corn chips and shredded cheese. Top with remaining chili and onion., Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with the remaining corn chips. Arrange cheese slices over top. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until chips are crisp and cheese is melted.

PORK TAMALES WITH ROASTED TOMATILLO-CHILE SALSA

Steps:

• For the pork: Bring pork, water, onion, garlic, cilantro, and salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer for 35 minutes. Let cool. Strain, reserving broth and pork separately and discarding onion, garlic, and cilantro.
• For the sauce: Preheat broiler. Place tomatoes, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil, flipping occasionally, until soft and charred, about 10 minutes.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add dried chiles; press gently with a spatula and toss occasionally until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and add enough hot water to cover chiles. Let soak for 10 minutes. Drain, and puree chiles in a blender or a food processor until smooth. Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup of the reserved pork broth, the chipotles, onion, garlic, and cilantro, and puree until smooth.
• Heat lard or shortening in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomato-chile mixture, and cook until slightly thick, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add pork and 1/2 cup of the remaining pork broth, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick and pork is tender, about 15 minutes.
• For the batter: Combine masa harina and hot water, and stir until mixture forms a paste. Let cool.
• Heat 1 cup of the remaining pork broth until warm. Beat lard, baking powder, and salt with a mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add 1 cup masa harina mixture and 1/3 cup warm pork broth, and beat until combined. Beat in remaining masa harina and 2/3 cup of the remaining pork broth. Raise speed to medium, and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. (Batter should be soft but still hold its shape in a spoon.) Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
• Meanwhile, place cornhusks in a large bowl, and cover with water by about 2 inches. Place an inverted plate on top to keep the husks submerged. Let soak, turning and separating them occasionally, for at least 1 hour or until you are ready to assemble the tamales.
• To assemble: Remove 3 husks from water, and dry with paper towels. Tear husks to make a total of 90 thin strips.
• Remove another husk from water, place on a work surface, and dry. Scoop 2 tablespoons tamale batter over center of husk. Spread into a 4-inch square, leaving a 2-inch border on straight end and a 1/2-inch border on sides. Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons pork filling along center of batter. Fold 2 long sides of the husk in to meet in center. Tuck 1 inch of the pointed end up, and tie loosely with a strip of husk. Do not tuck opposite end, but tie it shut with another strip. Repeat, keeping finished tamales covered with damp paper towels as you work. (Tamales can be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance. Cover with damp paper towels, and refrigerate.)
• Add enough water to a large pot to come about 3 inches up sides. Bring to a simmer. Set a large metal colander in pot (it should rest above water). Place tamales vertically in colander, leaning them against one another. Cover pot, and cook until batter pulls away from sides (you will need to remove a tamale carefully and open it to check), about 1 1/2 hours, adding more water to pot as needed. Serve tamales with salsa and crema. Leftover tamales can be wrapped in plastic or sealed in a container and frozen for up to a month; you do not need to let them thaw before steaming.

CHICKEN TAMALES WITH TOMATILLO-CILANTRO SAUCE

Steps:

• Poach and shred the chicken:
• Combine the onion, garlic, salt, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the chicken breasts, bay leaves, and oregano and decrease the heat to a simmer. Cook the chicken, partially covered, for 35 minutes, or until cooked through. To check for doneness, slit the chicken in half to make sure the interior is no longer pink.
• Allow the chicken to cool in the broth. When cool enough to handle, remove the chicken from the pan. Strain and reserve the broth. Shred the chicken by hand by pulling apart the fibers of the chicken with your fingers and set aside.
• Make the Tomatillo-Cilantro Sauce:
• Combine the tomatillos, jalapeños, cilantro, garlic, and water in a blender and purée until well blended.
• Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.
• When the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté until the onion is limp and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatillo mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
• Add the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to coat. Allow to cook for 3 more minutes. Check the seasoning and adjust if needed. Set aside.
• Prepare the corn husks
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil then remove from heat. Add the corn husks, making sure to submerge them under water, and cover the pot. Soak the corn husks in the pot for 20 minutes. They should be soft and flexible, and take on a deep beige color. Remove the corn husks from the water and wrap them in a damp paper towel until you are ready to use them.
• Prepare the tamal dough:
• To make the masa, combine the masa harina with 2 cups of the reserved chicken broth and mix well. The masa should have the consistency of a stiff dough. Set aside.
• Put the lard in a mixing bowl. Beat the lard with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add half of the masa and beat until well blended. Add the 3 tablespoons of the reserved chicken broth and the remaining masa and continue beating until a teaspoon of the dough dropped into a cup of cold water floats, about 10 minutes. If after 15 minutes of constant beating your dough does not float, move on (despite it not floating, the dough will be fine).
• Sprinkle the baking powder and the salt over the dough and mix in well.
• Assemble the tamales:
• Place a corn husk lengthwise in front of you with the wide side closest to you. Spread 2 tablespoons of the dough all over the bottom half (wide side) of the corn husk, leaving about a 1-inch-wide border on the left and right sides.
• Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling lengthwise down the center of the dough. Pick up the two long sides of the cornhusk and unite them. Allow the dough to surround the filling by pinching together the corn husk where the dough comes together. Roll both sides of the corn husks in the same direction over the tamal. Fold down the empty top section of the cornhusk and secure it by tying a thin strip of corn husk around the tamal (the top will be open).
• Repeat this process until all the corn husks or tamal dough are used up.
• Steam the tamales:
• Create a tamal steamer by crumpling a large piece of aluminum foil into a large ball. Place the foil ball in the center of a large saucepan and arrange the tamales "standing up" around it. You can stand tamales in front of each other; just make sure that the open end of the tamal is facing upward.
• Pour in 1/2 inch of water. Cover tightly with a lid and simmer for 40 minutes.
• Serve:
• Serve warm accompanied by Mexican crema.

GREEN CHILE CHICKEN TAMALES (TAMALES CON SALSA VERDE Y POLLO)

Steps:

• For filling:
• Place husks in large pot or large bowl; add water to cover. Place heavy plate on husks to keep submerged. Let stand until husks soften, turning occasionally, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
• Preheat broiler. Line heavy baking sheet with foil. Arrange tomatillos on prepared sheet. Broil until tomatillos blacken in spots, turning once, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer tomatillos and any juices on sheet to processor and cool. Add chiles and garlic to processor and blend until smooth puree forms. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add tomatillo puree and boil 5 minutes, stirring often. Add broth. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until sauce coats spoon thickly and is reduced to 1 cup, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Season with salt. Mix in chicken and cilantro. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
• For dough:
• Using electric mixer, beat lard (with salt and baking powder, if using) in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in fresh masa or masa harina mixture in 4 additions. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in 1 1/2 cups broth, forming tender dough. If dough seems firm, beat in enough broth, 2 tablespoons at a time, to soften.
• Fill bottom of pot with steamer insert with enough water (about 2 inches) to reach bottom of insert. Line bottom of insert with some softened corn husks. Tear 3 large husks into 1/4-inch-wide strips to use as ties and set aside. Open 2 large husks on work surface. Spread 1/4 cup dough in 4-inch square in center of each, leaving 2- to 3-inch plain border at narrow end of husk. Spoon heaping tablespoon filling in strip down center of each dough square. Fold long sides of husk and dough over filling to cover. Fold up narrow end of husk. Tie folded portion with strip of husk to secure, leaving wide end of tamale open. Stand tamales in steamer basket. Repeat with more husks, dough, and filling until all filling has been used. If necessary to keep tamales upright in steamer, insert pieces of crumpled foil between them.
• Bring water in pot to boil. Cover pot and steam tamales until dough is firm to touch and separates easily from husk, adding more water to pot as necessary, about 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool 1 hour. Cover and chill. Before serving, re-steam tamales until hot, about 35 minutes.)