Tamales made easy for Cinco de Mayo
A favorite across Latin America and the American Southwest, tamales often pair corn dough with a spicy meat filling.
Our version is based on an Ecuadoran recipe and uses hominy, corn with its hull and germ removed. The hominy makes a lighter, fluffier dough than does masa harina, the main ingredient in most Tex-Mex versions.
Assembling the tamales becomes fun for the whole family when you use parchment paper wraps instead of the usual delicate corn husks.
Tamales Made Easy
FOR THE FILLING:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 small green bell pepper, cored and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium ripe tomato, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon flour 1/2 cup chicken broth
FOR THE DOUGH:
2 (15-ounce) cans hominy, drained 6 ounces Monterey Jack, shredded
6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature 2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hot sauce
FOR THE ASSEMBLY:
10 (10-by-12-inch) sheets parchment paper
10 (30-inch) lengths kitchen twine
First, prepare the filling. Heat the oil in a medium-size skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the tomato and continue cooking until a sauce has formed, about 5 minutes. Stir in the paprika, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
Add the beef to the mixture and cook, breaking it into smaller pieces, until the meat loses its pink color, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the chicken broth and continue cooking, stirring often, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove the filling from the heat and let it cool.
Make the dough. Put the hominy in a food processor and pulse it until it’s smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the cheese and butter and pulse until well blended, about 30 seconds more. Add the eggs and the yolk and pulse again. Add the mustard, baking powder, salt and hot sauce and process until a light, fluffy dough has formed. Transfer the dough to a cake pan, spread it over the bottom, and divide it into ten portions.
To assemble each tamale, place half a portion of dough in the center of a sheet of parchment paper. Flatten the dough into a 3-by-5-inch rectangle, then spread 1/4 cup of filling onto the center of the rectangle. Cover the filling with the other half of the dough and pat it down. Tightly fold the parchment paper around the tamale and secure it with twine.
Fit each of two large pots with a steaming basket or colander. Add water to each pot, filling it to just below the bottom of the basket. Remove the baskets and bring the pots of water to a boil.
Loosely arrange five tamales in each basket, leaving space for steam to circulate as the tamales cook. When the water is boiling in each pot, set a basket inside and cover the pot with a clean kitchen towel. Top the towel with a tightly fitting lid and steam the tamales, replacing water as needed, until they are firm to the touch, about 30 to 40 minutes. Use tongs to remove the tamales from the baskets. Let the tamales cool slightly before serving with your favorite salsa.
Makes 10 tamales.
This story was originally published May 3, 2016 at 10:00 PM with the headline "Tamales made easy for Cinco de Mayo."