Green Chile Tamales Recipes

Steps:

• Preparing the cornhusks. Cover the husks with very hot water, weight with a plate to keep them submerged, and let stand for a couple of hours until the husks are pliable.
• Preparing the filling: On a baking sheet, roast the tomatillos about 4 inches below a very hot broiler until soft (they'll blacken in spots), about 5 minutes; flip them over and roast the other side. Cool and transfer to a food processor or blender, along with all the delicious juice that has run onto the baking sheet. Add the chiles and garlic and process to a smooth puree. Heat the oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium high. When quite hot, add the puree all at once and stir until noticeably thicker and darker, about 5 minutes.(I cover the pot with a splatter screen) Add 2 cups of the broth and simmer over medium heat (I use high heat) until thick enough to coat a spoon quite heavily, at least 10 minutes. I keep it simmering while I shred the chicken. (If you are making a double batch of the recipe, make sure to cook the filling for a longer amount of time.) Taste and season highly with salt, usually about 2 teaspoons. Stir in the chicken and cilantro; cool completely.
• Preparing the batter: With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the lard or shortening with 2 teaspoons salt and the baking powder until light in texture, about 1 minute. Continue beating as you add the masa (fresh or reconstituted) in three additions. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add 1 cup of the remaining broth. Continue beating for another minute or so, until a ½-teaspoon dollop of the batter floats in a cup of cold water (if it floats you can be sure the tamales will be tender and light). Beat in enough of the remaining ½ cup of broth to give the mixture the consistency of soft (not runny) cake batter; it should hold its shape in a spoon. Taste the batter and season with additional salt if you think it needs some. For the lightest textured tamales, refrigerate the batter for an hour or so, then rebeat, adding a little more broth or water to bring the mixture to the soft consistency it had before.
• For forming the tamales, separate out 24 of the largest and most pliable husks-ones that are at least 6 inches across on the wider end and 6 or 7 inches long. If you can't find enough good ones, overlap some of the large ones to give wide, sturdy surfaces to spread the batter on. Pat the chosen husks dry with a towel.
• Forming the tamales. Cut twenty-four 8- to 10-inch pieces of string or thin strips of cornhusks. One at a time, form the tamales: Lay out one of your chosen cornhusks with the tapering end toward you. Spread about ¼ cup of the batter into about a 4-inch square, leaving at least a 1 ½-inch border on the side toward you and a ¾-inch border along the other sides (with large husks, the borders will be much bigger). Spoon about 1 ½ tablespoons of the filling down the center of the batter. Pick up the two long sides of the cornhusk and bring them together (this will cause the batter to surround the filling). If the uncovered borders of the two long sides you're holding are narrow, tuck one side under the other; if wide, roll both sides in the same direction around the tamal. (If the husk is small, you may feel more comfortable wrapping the tamal in a second husk.) Finally, fold up the empty 1 ½-inch section of the husk (to form a tightly closed "bottom" leaving the top open), and secure it in place by loosely tying one of the strings or strips of husk around the tamal. As they're made, stand the tamales on their folded bottoms in the prepared steamer. Don't tie the tamales too tightly or pack them too closely in the steamer. They need room to expand.
• Setting up the steamer. Steaming 24 husk-wrapped tamales can be done in batches in a collapsible vegetable steamer set into a large, deep saucepan. To steam them all at once, you need something like the kettle-size tamal steamers used in Mexico or Asian stack steamers, or you can improvise by setting a wire rack on 4 coffee or custard cups in a large kettle. It is best to line the rack or upper part of the steamer with leftover cornhusks to protect the tamales from direct contact with the steam and to add more flavor. Make sure to leave tiny spaces between the husks so condensing steam can drain off.
• Steaming and serving the tamales: When all the tamales are in the steamer, cover them with a layer of leftover cornhusks; if your husk-wrapped tamales don't take up the entire steamer, fill in the open spaces with loosely wadded aluminum foil (to keep the tamales from falling over). Set the lid in place and steam over a constant medium heat for about 1 ¼ hours. (depending on the size of the tamales you make, it can take up to 4 hours). Watch carefully that all the water doesn't boil away and, to keep the steam steady, pour boiling water into the pot when more is necessary. Tamales are done when the husk peels away from the masa easily. Let tamales stand in the steamer off the heat for a few minutes to firm up. For the best textured tamales, let them cool completely, then re-steam about 15 minutes to heat through.

Steps:

• Filling Directions:.
• 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 - I find that over-night is perfect.
• Preheat boiler. Line heavy baking sheet with foil. Arrange tomatillos on prepared sheet and broil until tomatillos blaken in spots, turning once (about 5 minute 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 on medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add tomatillo puree and boil 5 minutes, stirring often.
• Add broth and reduce heat to medium; simmer until sauce coats spoon thickly and is reduced to 1 cup, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes.
• Season with salt and mix in chicken and cilantro (can be made 1 day ahead, cover and chill).
• I usually double this portion of the recipe and freeze half, it holds very well in the freezer.
• Dough Directions:.
• Using electric mixer, beat shortening (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, two tablespoons at a time to soften.
• Fill bottom of pot with steamer insert with enough water (about two 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. This isn't necessary, I only do it when I want to make the tamales look "pretty".
• Open 1 large husks on work surface. Spread 1/4 cup dough in 4-inch square in center of each, leaving 2-3-inch plain border at narrow end of husk.
• Spoon heaping tablespoon filling in strip down center of dough square. Fold sides of husk towards center and the narrow bottom end up so that the chicken mixture is "contained" in the center of dough and husk. This is where you can tie them with a strip of husk, but I find it isn't necessary. Leave wide end of tamale open.
• Stand tamales in steamer basket, open end UP. 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 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 one hour, cover and chill. Before serving, re-steam tamales until hot, about 35 minutes.

Steps:

• Soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water, using a plate to keep them submerged, until pliable, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring the chicken base and 4 cups water to a simmer in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and thighs and simmer until cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and let cool; cut into small pieces. Reserve the broth.
• Puree the cilantro and 1 1/4 cups of the reserved broth in a food processor until smooth (save the remaining broth for another use). Transfer to a medium pot. Add the salsa, cumin and garlic and bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook until slightly reduced, about 12 minutes. Stir in the chicken and season with salt. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Make the dough: Soak the ancho chile in hot water until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain the chile, then mince to make a paste. Combine the chile paste, masa harina, lard, 3 cups warm water and 2 teaspoons salt in a bowl. Mix with your hands (or use a mixer with the paddle attachment) until you can float a marble-size ball of the dough in water, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Drain the husks and pat dry. Starting 1/2 inch from the wide end of a husk, spread about 3 tablespoons of the dough down the length of a husk, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken filling down the center of the dough, then fold in the sides of the husk, wrapping the dough around the filling. Fold up the narrow end of the husk. Repeat with the remaining husks, dough and filling.
• Set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with 1 to 2 inches of water. Arrange the tamales standing open-end up in the steamer. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover and steam until the tamales pull away from the husks, about 1 hour. Remove from the steamer and let cool slightly before unwrapping.

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.)

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.
• Place chicken in a pot, season with salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain chicken and shred with 2 forks.
• Place tomatillo and serrano peppers in a pot while chicken is cooking, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook until tomatillos are soft and have changed color, but are not falling apart, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Combine tomatillos, serrano peppers, onion, cilantro, and garlic in a blender; blend into a smooth sauce.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add tomatillo sauce. Cook until sauce has slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken and season filling with salt.
• Beat remaining butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add chicken broth, masa harina, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and beat well until combined and the consistency of 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 beating for a little longer.
• Select 1 wide corn husk or 2 small ones. Spread about 2 tablespoons masa mixture onto the the corn husk, filling it up to 2 inches from the bottom and 1/4 inch from the top. Add 1 tablespoon of filling down 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. Let tamales stand for 15 minutes before serving.