Rajas Con Queso Mini Tamales Recipes

Steps:

• Tamale dough: Place the lard in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the masa harina and beat 2 minutes. Add the baking powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; continue beating until incorporated, about 5 minutes. Add the hot broth and continue beating until the dough is soft and fluffy (it should pull away from the side of the bowl easily). Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let sit about 10 minutes. Place the corn husks in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until softened, about 8 minutes. Drain. Filling: Roast the poblanos over the flame of a gas burner, turning, until charred, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool. Peel the poblanos with your fingers and discard the stems and seeds, then coarsely chop. Melt the butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, corn and poblanos and cook 2 more minutes. Add the crema; when it starts bubbling, reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheese until melted. Season with salt and set aside to cool. Tear 4 corn husks into 1/2-inch-thick strips to use as ties; set aside. Assemble the tamales: Hold an open corn husk in one hand; spread about 2 tablespoons dough on the husk, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border on all sides. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the filling down the center, then fold in the long sides of the husk to cover the filling and fold up the narrow short end (leave the wide end open). Tie a strip of corn husk around the tamale to hold the folded flaps in place. Repeat to make 12 tamales. Place the tamales, open-side up, in a steamer basket set in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pot by several inches, but not enough to touch the tamales. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low; cover the pot with a kitchen towel and a lid and steam until firm, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, adding more water to the pot if needed. The tamales should pull away from the husks without sticking; if they're still sticky, continue cooking. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Roast the chilies over an open flame or on a griddle until blackened but not charred. Wrap the chilies in a towel and place them in a plastic bag for about 10 minutes. Remove the chilies and with the help of a kitchen towel rub the skins off. The chilies should be firm. Cut them in 1/2-inch strips discarding all the seeds and the ribs. Do not rinse them. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chilies and the onions at the same time. Stir often. When everything is soft add all the sour cream and the chicken bouillon granules to taste. When the cream is hot turn off the burner and add the cheese. Cover immediately. Enjoy with warm tortillas and white rice.

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.
• Line a heavy cast iron grill pan or griddle with aluminum foil and place over high heat. Arrange poblano peppers in a single layer on top. Grill until chiles are blackened, turning as necessary, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer into a resealable plastic bag and let them steam, 10 to 15 minutes. Peel off skin, seed, and cut them into strips.
• Place tomatillos in a pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and cook until they change color, about 5 minutes. Drain and place in a blender. Blend until smooth.
• Heat 1 tablespoon lard in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add blended tomatillos and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until flavors are well combined, about 5 minutes. Add poblano peppers and cilantro and boil for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool, about 10 minutes.
• Beat remaining lard in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add salt and continue beating for a few minutes. Add masa harina and baking powder and beat well until combined. Add chicken broth, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough has a smooth and workable consistency that is not too wet, similar to 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 working the dough a little longer.
• Select 1 wide corn husk or 2 small ones. Spread about 2 tablespoons masa mixture onto the corn husk, filling it up to 2 inches from the bottom and 1/4 inch from the top. Add 1 tablespoon of the tomatillo sauce and a piece of Monterey Jack cheese 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 15 minutes. Let tamales rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Cut peppers and onion into strips about 2 inches long and 1/2-inch thick.
• Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat and saute peppers, onion, and corn until tender and starting to char, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in Monterey Jack cheese, cotija cheese, and crema and cook until melted into a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.