Tamales With Shrimp Recipes

Steps:

• Place tomatillos, onion, garlic, and green chiles in a roasting pan and bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor along with any juices that are at the bottom of the pan. Add the cumin, salt, and cilantro. Pulse the mixture until combined but still chunky. You may add a bit of water or broth if the mixture is too thick. Reserve half the sauce to serve with the tamales.
• In a deep bowl, combine the masa and remaining half of the tomatillo sauce. Beat until fully incorporated and the dough is green. Fold in the softened goat cheese.
• Set the cornhusks on a sheet pan covered by a damp towel. Lay the husk flat on a plate with the smooth side up and the narrow end facing you. Spread a thin, even layer of the masa mixture over the surface of the husk with a tablespoon that is dipped in water. Fold the narrow end up to the center then fold both sides together to enclose the filling. The sticky masa will form a seal. Pinch the wide top closed.
• Stand the tamales up in a large steamer or colander with the pinched end up. Load the steamer into a large pot filled with 2-inches of water. The water should not touch the tamales. Lay a damp cloth over the tamales and cover with lid. Keep the water at a low boil, checking periodically to make sure the water doesn't boil away. Steam the tamales for 2 hours.
• Coat the shrimp with cumin, chili powder, cayenne, coriander, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in a saute pan, cook the shrimp for 5 minutes until pink. To serve, unfold the tamales, top with the spicy shrimp and spoon the reserved tomatillo sauce over the top.

Steps:

• For the seafood stuffing: Roughly chop the shrimp up into chunky pieces. Set a large saute pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and garlic. Once the garlic begins to sizzle, add the shrimp. Saute until just pink, about 2 minutes, and then add the crabmeat. Season with the cumin, paprika and some salt and pepper. Gently fold the mixture together, and then shut off the heat and add the lime juice. Allow to cool. Divide the mixture; you will use one half to stuff the tamales, and one half for the seafood sauce.
• For the tamales: Mix the masa, 1 1/4 cups water, butter and salt into a thick paste. To prepare the tamales, set a corn husk out on a flat surface (double up or shingle 2 husks if they are small or have tears). Add 5 tablespoons of the masa mix into the center of the corn husk. Push the mixture to 1 inch from the side of the husk. Add 2 tablespoons of seafood stuffing to the center. Fold one edge of the husk to the center, and then fold the other side to cover the entire tamale. Fold the ends over by 2 inches and tuck under to hold in place.
• Place a colander in large pot of boiling water, but do not let the colander touch the water. Place the tamales in the colander, cover and steam the tamales for 30 to 40 minutes.
• For the red seafood sauce: First, rehydrate the chile pepper. Place the dried chile in a cup of hot water and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Set a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and saute the fennel, onion and garlic until translucent and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine, and then simmer to evaporate some of the wine, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cumin, chile pepper, the water from the chile pepper and the can of tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook until the liquid reduces and the flavors come together, about 20 minutes. Blend until smooth with a stick blender, and then fold in the remaining half of the seafood stuffing. Taste and season once more if needed. Serve the red seafood sauce over the crab and shrimp tamales.

Steps:

• Note: Chihuahua cheese available in most Hispanic markets, Queso Fresco available from Mozzarella Company 800-798-2954.
• Cover corn husks with hot tap water in a shallow baking dish.
• Bring chicken broth, creamed corn and milk just to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Gradually add broth mixture to masa harina in a medium bowl, stirring with a wooden spoon, until well blended; cool.
• Heat broiler.
• Line a broiler pan with foil.
• Arrange poblanos and bell pepper on prepared pan and broil 4 inches from heat 10 to 15 minutes, turning until skins are evenly charred.
• Wrap in foil and let stand 15 minutes.
• Peel, seed and dice chile and bell pepper; transfer to a medium bowl.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add onions and cook 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add garlic, reduce heat to medium and cook 1 minute more.
• Cool, then combine with chile, bell pepper and uncooked shrimp.
• Beat lard, baking powder, salt and sugar together in a large mixer bowl, until smooth.
• Gradually beat in masa harina mixture by spoonfuls, beating well after each addition.
• Continue to beat 5 to 8 minutes more, until mixture is light and fluffy.
• Stir in shrimp mixture and cheese (mixture will be stiff).
• Drain and rinse corn husks; keep covered with a damp towel (or follow foil directions below).
• Flatten one husk on work surface (overlapping two husks if small).
• Spoon 1/4 cup filling in center of husk.
• Spread into a 3-inch long log.
• Roll up lengthwise.
• Secure each end with string.
• Repeat with remaining husks and filling.
• To prepare tamales with foil: Cut each foil piece in half to make two 6x9-inch rectangles.
• Spread 1/4 cup filling in center of each rectangle.
• Fold all sides in to form 2x3-1/2-inch packets.
• (Can be made ahead. Place tamales in resealable plastic storage bags and freeze up to 1 month.) Place steamer rack in Dutch oven over 1 inch of water.
• Arrange tamales (unthawed if frozen) in rack.
• Cover; bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low and steam 30 minutes.
• Serve with Guacamole, if desired.
• Makes 28 tamales.
• (Nutrition facts are based on 1 tamale per serving.) yMasa Harina: A variety of flour made from specially processed corn.
• Used in tamales or to thicken sauces.
• Can be found in the baking section of most supermarkets.
• yyChile Poblano: Mild to medium-hot fresh chile.
• Popular for stuffing; usually roasted.

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the tomato salsa. Prepare the tamale dough. Salsa and dough should be at room temperature. Soak the corn husks in hot water for 2 hours. 2. Remove the corn husks from the water. Put on a plate and cover with a clean damp kitchen towel to keep moist. Put 1 corn husk on a flat surface. Put 3 tablespoons of dough in the center of the husk and spread into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle to within 1-inch of the wide end and about 3 inches from the pointed end. Place 2 shrimp on the dough and top with 1 tablespoon of the salsa. Overlap the sides of the husk over the filling. Fold the pointed end toward the wide end and put on a plate folded side down. Repeat with remaining husks and fillings. 3. Put about 3 inches of water and a coin into a large steamer. (A rattling coin means there's still water in the pot.) Line the steamer rack with extra corn husks. Arrange the tamales folded ends down on the husks. Cover with more corn husks or aluminum foil. Tuck a kitchen towel on top and put on the lid. Bring to a boil and steam tamales about 1 hour, or until the dough is firm and easily pulls away from the husk. Do not let the steamer boil dry. If the coin stops rattling, very cautiously add hot water. 4. Serve the tamales hot with remaining salsa. To store, keep tamales wrapped and refrigerated up to 1 day, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat in a steamer directly from the refrigerator or freezer. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.