Turkey Tamales With Mole Negro Recipes

TURKEY MOLE NEGRO

Steps:

• One to three days before serving: Slit the chiles lengthwise and remove the seeds and veins. Tear them into flat pieces. Heat a heavy skillet or griddle pan over medium heat and add 1/4 cup of the lard. Toast the chiles for 1 or 2 minutes on each side, until toasty and slightly charred but not burned. Be very careful not to burn them. Transfer the chiles to a bowl with a slotted spoon and cover them with warm water. Soak overnight.
• In a large bowl, combine the roasted tomatoes, breaking them up, and the chocolate, also broken up. In a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder reserved for grinding spices, pulverize the peppercorns, cloves, allspice berries, and cinnamon. Add them to the tomato mixture and set aside.
• In a large heavy skillet, dry-toast the sesame seeds to a deep golden color, just 10 or 15 seconds. Add to the tomato mixture and repeat with the coriander seeds. Wipe the skillet which you used to toast the chiles and add the remaining 1/4 cup lard. Toast the almonds for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned through. Transfer them to the tomato mixture with a slotted spoon and repeat with the raisins, and then with the onions and garlic, pressing down on the ingredients with the back of the spoon to rid them of excess fat before transferring them to the bowl. If necessary, add a little more lard or oil to the pan and fry the tortillas until golden. Break them up and add them to the bowl, then brown the bread on both sides, tear into large pieces and add to the bowl. Stir the mixture together thoroughly, then place 1/4 of it in a blender jar with 1/2 cup of broth. Blend as smooth as possible, scraping down the blender jar. It is best not to add any additional liquid to the mixture; try to get it to move through the blades by pulsing on and off and scraping down the sides. Repeat with the remaining mixture, 1/4 at a time, adding 1/2 cup of broth to each batch. Strain the mixture through a medium-mesh sieve into a clean bowl and set aside. Now puree the drained chiles in the blender with about 1/2 cup of their soaking water, in 3 batches. Add a little more water if needed, and add the chipotle chile to the last batch. Strain the chile puree through the same sieve into a separate bowl.
• In a very large (at least 8 quarts), heavy covered casserole, heat 1/4 cup of the lard over medium-high heat. Add the turkey pieces and brown, in several batches, for about 4 minutes on each side. Remove to a roasting pan and set aside. Pour off the excess fat from the casserole, leaving just a little on the bottom, and return to the heat for a moment to heat up. Add the chile puree to the casserole and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan occasionally, for about 5 minutes. The mixture should be quite dark and thick. Add the other puree and cook for a few more minutes, until it thickens once again. Add 5 cups of the broth, partially cover the pan and cook for 45 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add the salt and the sugar and, if the sauce is thicker than heavy cream, thin it with a little more broth.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pour the sauce over the turkey. Cover the pan and roast until the pieces are tender with no trace of pink remaining, about 2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and spoon the fat off the top or, if serving the following day, ideally let the dish cool to room temperature and refrigerate so the fat will congeal, making it easier to remove. Skin the turkey and cut the meat from the bones, or serve the turkey in large pieces, as desired.
• Reheat in a 350 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes if needed, spooning some sauce over the top of the turkey pieces to give them a nice glaze. Scatter some sesame seeds over the top just before serving.

TURKEY TAMALES

Steps:

• Prepare the corn husks: Place in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and use a plate to submerge husks. Soak 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, prepare the masa: In a medium bowl, mix masa with 11/4 cups hot water. Let cool.
• Combine lard and baking powder in a stand mixer and beat for 1 minute, until light. Add salt and masa in 3 additions, beating at medium-low speed. Gradually add 3/4 cup broth while beating on low speed; beat for another minute or two. Taste for salt. Test to see if masa is aerated enough by dropping 1/2 teaspoon into a cup of water; it should float to the top. Batter should be soft but not runny, holding together on a spoon if you tilt the spoon. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Beat masa again for a couple of minutes, adding remaining broth.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Place tomatillos in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, flipping them over halfway through, until softened and olive green. Drain and place in a blender. Add green chiles, onion, garlic and cilantro sprigs. Blend until smooth.
• Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatillo purée and stir constantly until it thickens and begins to stick to pan, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, add salt to taste and bring to a simmer; let simmer 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. Stir in chipotles. Sauce should be creamy and coat the front and back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat. Stir in shredded turkey.
• Make the tamales: Select 16 corn husks; look for large ones that have no tears. Take a few more and tear into 16 1/4-inch-wide strips for tying tamales. Use some of the remaining husks to line a steamer that is at least 6 inches deep (or a pasta pot with an insert); reserve a few husks in case you need to double-wrap tamales. Add just enough water to the pot to miss hitting the bottom of the basket.
• Lay a corn husk in front of you and pat dry. Spread a scant 1/4 cup of the masa into a 4-inch square, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border at pointy tapered end of the husk and a roughly 3/4-inch border on the other sides. Spoon a heaped tablespoon of turkey mixture down the middle of the masa. Pull long edges of husk toward each other and join them so that batter is now wrapped around the filling. Fold the two pinched-together edges over in the same direction and wrap the tamale. If it does not seem well wrapped, wrap in a second husk. Fold pointy end up to enclose the bottom and tie with a strip of husk. The wide top end will be open. Stand tamale up, closed end down, in steamer. Repeat with remaining masa and filling. The tamales should be crowded into the steamer so they remain upright. If they don't, fill spaces with crinkled foil. If tops stick out from top of steamer, trim with scissors.
• Lay unused soaked husks over open tops of tamales. Bring water to a boil, cover pot, reduce heat to medium and steam tamales for 11/2 hours. Meanwhile, bring a kettle of water to a boil to replenish water in bottom of the pot, should it run out (check periodically). Tamales are done when husk comes away easily from the masa; when done, let them sit at least 15 minutes in the pot, uncovered, to firm up. Serve hot.