shredded pork tamales ~ part 2

Guest Blogger: ChefBliss.com
We have the meat prepared and are now ready to mix the masa and assemble the tamales:

I found the corn husks in the Mexican food section at our local grocery store. Soak the husks in warm water for about 30 minutes. You may need to use something to keep them under water. As you are checking them, remove all the corn silk, and if it's stuck don't pull. Wait until they have soaked to finish pulling them off. The brand I bought were very easy to clean the silks off of. Some are just too small to use, some are huge and can be gently torn in half.

As I was researching masa recipes there were so many and they were so varied. All recipes called for lard, butter or a combination of the two. I decided to use coconut oil for a healthier version.

My Masa Recipe is:
*2 cups masa flour
*1/2 tsp salt (optional)
*6 TB melted coconut oil
*2+ cups broth (saved from the meat)

Mix all together. Start with 2 cups of broth and add more as needed. Take a corn husk and wipe the water off. Take some masa and pat down on the husk. Spread out to one side, leaving a border on the other side. Make sure to leave room at the bottom to create a tail.

I thought I might be putting it on too thick. However, once all was said and done they were really good and only one or two didn't have quite enough meat. But I love the masa, so I was happy. I found that it was easiest to use my hands, rather than a spoon, and it they were damp it was easiest.

Place the meat down the center. Roll the "full side" in first, then the "border" side in. Fold up the end. Seal the top together with your fingers. Place tamales into a steamer with water in the bottom. With water boiling, steam for one hour.

A few notes:
*Several recipes and my mom all said you only need a bit of water. However, the water had other ideas. Check it or use a penny. When the rattling stops you need more water.
*I used two pans, one I left a whole in the center and the other I filled as much as possible.
*The tamales were various sizes, depending on the size of the corn husks.

The tamales were wonderful! And having leftovers is the best part! We served them with a cilantro lime sour cream and various salsas. By taking out the lard and butter I felt really good about them too. What would I do next time? Not much different, but I want to cook the pork in the slow cooker and also try shredded beef and chicken. And please pardon me if my tamale terminology was not spot on.

And now for the Fabulous Recipe Award:

Teresa at Mexican-American Border Cooking was my inspiration for the pork filling. She had a three day post for tamales and some great ideas for sauces, and even a sweet tamale. Her posts were fun, informative and very easy to read. So I am proud to give her the Fabulous Recipe Award! Thanks Teresa! And I apologize for not putting this on the post yesterday, since it really was all about the meat! The award on my sidebar is a smaller size so you can take it from there!

For the masa mix I tried the recipe on the flour package (too dry) and a recipe from Food Network (very moist). So I tried my own combo and it was great. I don't think Food Network wants an award, but it would be fun to give it to them!

shredded pork tamales ~ part 1

For years I have wanted to learn how to make tamales. I have dreamed of this moment, believe it or not! When I was nine, we were on a train, traveling to Machu Pichu in Peru. It was freezing cold. So cold that we bought woolen ponchos (made from Llama fur) and slept huddled together to keep warm. Our train came to a stop in the middle of nowhere, but on one side of the train were shacks. I knew, even as a child, that I was in the middle of severe poverty. Women boarded the train to sell tamales to the passengers. When their wares had been sold, they disembarked and the train began moving again. I remember those tamales as being so delicious. So tasty. I remember my parents exclaiming their delight and wishing they had bought more.

Now tamales are hard to find at a decent price and they are not always that great. Since I had a little time on my hands I thought I would give it a go. I started researching recipes from various sites. So many of them have the same idea, but all are different. I settled on one to use as my guide for the meat and several to use as my guide for the masa.

One thing I know for sure: they are TASTY!


Here is how I made my Delicious Tamales
(Adapted from several sources, listed below):
*6 lb. pork shoulder roast
*1 onion, chopped
*6 to 8+ garlic cloves, minced/chopped
*2 1/2 tsp. cumin
*1+ TB salt
*1/3 cup chili powder

I started with a 6 pound pork shoulder. In a large dutch oven melt some coconut oil to brown the pork. As it is browning on the second side, add the onions. Allow them to brown while you add the remaining ingredients and water to cover the roast, approximately 12 cups for this one. Boil for about three hours until it is fork tender.

Once the meat is done, strain it, and make sure to keep the liquid. Allow the meat to cool until you are able to shred by hand, or use two forks. Discard fat and bones. Once the meat is shredded you can "season" it with chili sauce. I used two variations: for one I put in some of the drained broth. For the other half I used a chili sauce made from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, blended in our magic bullet (trust me, it's great!) with some water until it is a puree.

Tomorrow we will make the masa and assemble and cook the tamales. And eat them too! See you then!

spicy flank steak

I came across this recipe for Garlic-Chile Flank Steak at Eating Well and it reminded me of one of my family's favorites.

We all love Chipotle. Well, K likes anything with wasabi in, on or around it. And my step-daughter and I love chipotle, anything chipotle. I have bought chipotle sauce in a bottle, dried in cubes and cans of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

I simply took a can of chipotle peppers (in adobo sauce) and marinated the flank steak. You want to do this for at least a few hours but overnight is preferable. Then we tossed it on the grill and voila, everyone loved it. Even the wasabi-lover in the family! If you like spicy but don't want the full effect, simply add a few chilis from the can, either chopped or whole, to your marinade of choice. We tend to mix Asian and Mexican flavors.

For about a pound to a pound and a half of flank steak we average about 4 to 6 minutes per side on the grill. I know there are people who say flank steak should be cooked on a low flame grill but for some reason that never works in my house. Maybe it's our grill, but we always have it on high and it comes out near-perfect every time. I'm working on remembering the pictures but somehow when it comes down to mealtime the camera becomes a distant memory! Ah well, maybe next time!

shredded chicken enchiladas

Ingredients::
1/4 teaspoons Mexican or taco seasoning or 1 envelope Chicken taco seasoning
1/2 to 2/3 cup water (or amount indicated on taco seasoning package)
4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (if using frozen chicken breast 2 large or 3 medium to large)
1 1/2 cups mild, medium or hot traditional red enchilada sauce
1 1/2 cups canned mild, medium or hot green chili enchilada sauce
2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese, divided (you can use light cheese if you want) (reserve some for the topping)
1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves ~ use to taste, we use more because we love it!
1 large can drained, sliced black olives (we buy whole and slice them ourselves)
1 small can drained, chopped green chilies
8 (6-inch) yellow corn or white flour/low carb tortillas*

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

To shred chicken you can cook it however you prefer. I find it easiest to shred by boiling the chicken in a pot with chicken broth for 10 to 15 minutes. Check the chicken before draining to ensure that it is cooked through but not overly done.*

Drain the chicken and let cool or put on ice if you are shredding right away. Then just shred the chicken by hand or with a fork if you prefer. Large or small pieces is up to you. If you prefer not to shred, you can grill or bake seasoned chicken and cut into bite size chunks.

In a pan over medium low heat, mix the water, taco seasoning, or your own combination of seasonings. Simmer for a minute or two and when well combined add the shredded chicken and mix to coat. Simmer for another few minutes to heat through and ensure that all the chicken is seasoned.

In a medium saute or frying pan over medium heat, combine the enchilada sauces. Stir to combine and simmer to heat up, not boil. It's important to use a wide pan to be able to dip the tortillas into the sauce.

Spoon enough sauce into a 13x9x2 inch baking dish to evenly coat the bottom.

Optional*:: Wrap the tortillas in a damp, clean, lint-free dish towel and microwave them until just warm and just soft and pliable, about 30 seconds. T NOTE:: If using whole wheat or low carb tortillas skip this step, it actually makes it harder to roll them.

Dip one tortilla in the remaining sauce, to coat both sides. In a strip down the center of the tortilla place your cheese, olive, cilantro, chilies and chicken. Roll the tortilla up and place seam side down in the casserole dish.

I usually assemble these right in the dish so I often may add a bit more sauce to the bottom of the pan as I go along. Make sure to save some cheese to add to the top.

Ladle the remaining sauce over the top then sprinkle the tops evenly with the remaining cheese. You can also garnish with some olives if you like. Cover the dish with foil and bake it for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake the enchiladas an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted both on the top and on the insides.

Makes 4 (2 enchilada) servings.

Medium heat sauces are not overly hot. Mild may be too bland unless you really prefer your food with no heat or your favorite brand of sauce is hotter than others.

*T NOTES:

• I use low carb or whole wheat tortillas sometimes, just depends what's in the fridge. These are more pliable than corn tortillas so pre-warming in the microwave is optional. I usually don't because it seems to make them break while "rolling"!
  
• I love chicken but I hate the funny bits I find in it (don't ask, it was a childhood trauma!) ~~ so I boil my chicken in chicken broth or stock for about fifteen minutes. I put it on ice to cool and pretty quickly shred it by hand ~ hence, being able to remove the funny bits! I put it back into a pan or pot with some Mexican seasoning or a packet of chicken taco seasoning mix and voila....fabulous shredded chicken!! Just don't overcook it the first time. 10 to 12 minutes may do the trick ~ it really depends on the size of the chicken breasts and if they are fresh or frozen. I pull one out and check it before draining the boiling water. Then just a few minutes with the seasoning to get it all mixed together ~ you are not really needing to cook it again.
• My family loves spicy, spicy foods so I use medium to hot in almost everything. The beauty of this recipe if you use what you like best!
• Good, quick and simple!