Masa Shells With Refried Beans And Chicken Recipes

Steps:

• Place corn husks in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for a few hours. Drain, place on a work surface, and cover with a clean, damp towel.
• Place ancho chiles in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain.
• Combine ancho chiles, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and a little water in a blender; blend salsa until smooth. Strain through a sieve.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 the salsa and cook, 3 to 5 minutes. Add refried beans, stir well, and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Beat lard with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add masa and beat until well combined. Add remaining salsa and continue beating until dough has a uniform red color.
• Select 1 wide corn husk. 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. Place 1 tablespoon of beans and 1 jalapeno slice in 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 rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the salsa. Reserve. Then, prepare the masa shells. Cover and set aside. Then, prepare the shredded chicken. Cover and set aside, or if made ahead, refrigerate until ready to use. Then, in a nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the potato, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Reserve in the pan off heat. 2. In another skillet, pour oil to a depth of about 1 inch and cook over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Fry the masa shells, 3 or 4 at a time, turning once until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels. 3. Spread about 1 teaspoon of warm refried beans on each shell. Add about 1 teaspoon potato and 1 tablespoon of the shredded chicken. Top with 1 teaspoon of salsa and a dollop of sour cream. Add a thin slice of radish on top of the sour cream, if desired. Serve at once. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.