It was so gorgeous this summer that I never even had a chance to write about it. But as you can see, it's that time again to bring out the rain gear. Although I'm not a big fan of the rain (I know, I know, I live in Seattle!) there are many aspects of the cold season that I really love. One is layering clothes. Another, Starbucks comes back with the pumpkin spice latte, yum!
This weather also makes me want to braise a big pot of something. Maybe it's not even the good wafting smell of slow-cooked food, but just the homey-cozy-feeling of cooking something with love. That's why I made tamales! Seems far out, you say? Well, my relationship with tamales remind me of the holidays. It is a yearly event at my sister-in-law's home during Christmas time. My mom and I were lucky enough to be invited to my SIN's mother's house last year to witness the tamale fest, and since then, I've always wanted to try to make them on my own. 
The actual cooking time of the tamales isn't so bad, it's the prep that makes me wish I have more relatives that live nearby! I didn't know where to find fresh masa, so I used the masa harina and made it from scratch. It was fairly easy with my handy dandy Kitchen Aid (thanks, Maria and Bernie!!). The recipe called for rotisserie chicken, I roasted a chicken or I bet that Costco chicken will work just great. Also, Rick Bayless' recipe called for bottled tomatillo sauce, but as long as you can get your hands on tomatillos, it's a piece of cake to make your own.
The hardest part for me was assembling the tamales. Once I smeared the masa on the cornhusks, I scooped on the filling, and wrapped, folded and tied the little bundles.
Three hours later, the steamed tamales were ready and and I must say it was worth all the trouble. But really, there is a reason that families make these morsels together, not only it is fun to be with the ones you love, the extra set of hands will make this daunting task a breeze.
Below you'll find several recipes. The basic tamale recipe is from Rick Bayless. It's pretty detailed, but I added yet more notes. I made baby-sized tamales because I was going to a tapas party so I thought little ones would be cute! The chicken filling is also Bayless' recipe, however, I highly recommend that you try making your own, recipe below. When steaming the tamales, I kept them upright with unused corn husks and wads of aluminum foil. I also made a small path in the tamales so I can pour more water to create additional steam. Would I make this again? Absolutely..but it's going to be a tamale party with at least 10 of my family and friends!
Basic Tamale
Makes about 26 tamales
INGREDIENTS
1 8-ounce package dried cornhusks
10 ounces (1 1/3 cups) rich-tasting pork lard (or vegetable shortening if you wish), slightly softened but not at all runny
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 pounds (4 cups) fresh coarse-ground corn masa for tamales
OR 3 1/2 cups dried masa harina for tamales mixed with 2 1/4 cups hot water
1 to 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 to 3 cups Chicken in Green Chile Filling
DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare 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. For forming the tamales, separate out 28 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. For smaller tamales, I used one husk at a time.
2. Prepare 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 broth. Continue beating for another minute or so, until a 1/2 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 1/2 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.
3. Set up the steamer. Steaming 26 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.
4. Form the tamales. Cut twenty-six 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 1/4 cup of the batter into about a 4-inch square, leaving at least a 1 1/2-inch border on the side toward you and a 3/4-inch border along the other sides (with large husks, the borders will be much bigger). Spoon about 1 1/2 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 1/2-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.
5. Steam and serve 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 1/4 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.
Chicken in Green Chile Filling for Tamales
Yield: a generous 2-3 cups, enough for 24 tamales
From Rick Bayless
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons fresh masa or masa harina
1 16-ounce bottle tomatillo salsa (make your own, see recipe below)
3 cups lightly packed, coarsely shredded cooked chicken (I like to use rotisserie chicken)
Salt, if necessary
DIRECTIONS
Pour 1/4 cup water into a small bowl and whisk in the masa or masa harina until thoroughly blended. In a medium (3-quart) saucepan, bring the salsa to a boil over medium-high heat. Strain in the masa mixture, and whisk until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature. Scoop the chicken into a bowl and stir in the thickened salsa. Taste and season with more salt if you wish.
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Adapted from Bon Appétit
Yield: Makes about 2 cups
1 pound tomatillos (about 6 large), papery husks removed, rinsed
1/2 large onion, cut into thirds
2 serrano chiles, halved, seeded
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (loosely packed) fresh cilantro leaves
Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss first 5 ingredients in 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Roast in oven until tomatillos and onion are very soft, about 1 hour. Transfer contents of baking dish to processor and add cilantro. Puree until almost smooth. Transfer salsa to bowl.
Basic Tamale
Makes about 26 tamales
INGREDIENTS
1 8-ounce package dried cornhusks
10 ounces (1 1/3 cups) rich-tasting pork lard (or vegetable shortening if you wish), slightly softened but not at all runny
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 pounds (4 cups) fresh coarse-ground corn masa for tamales
OR 3 1/2 cups dried masa harina for tamales mixed with 2 1/4 cups hot water
1 to 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 to 3 cups Chicken in Green Chile Filling
DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare 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. For forming the tamales, separate out 28 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. For smaller tamales, I used one husk at a time.
2. Prepare 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 broth. Continue beating for another minute or so, until a 1/2 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 1/2 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.
3. Set up the steamer. Steaming 26 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.
4. Form the tamales. Cut twenty-six 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 1/4 cup of the batter into about a 4-inch square, leaving at least a 1 1/2-inch border on the side toward you and a 3/4-inch border along the other sides (with large husks, the borders will be much bigger). Spoon about 1 1/2 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 1/2-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.
5. Steam and serve 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 1/4 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.
Chicken in Green Chile Filling for Tamales
Yield: a generous 2-3 cups, enough for 24 tamales
From Rick Bayless
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons fresh masa or masa harina
1 16-ounce bottle tomatillo salsa (make your own, see recipe below)
3 cups lightly packed, coarsely shredded cooked chicken (I like to use rotisserie chicken)
Salt, if necessary
DIRECTIONS
Pour 1/4 cup water into a small bowl and whisk in the masa or masa harina until thoroughly blended. In a medium (3-quart) saucepan, bring the salsa to a boil over medium-high heat. Strain in the masa mixture, and whisk until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature. Scoop the chicken into a bowl and stir in the thickened salsa. Taste and season with more salt if you wish.
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Adapted from Bon Appétit
Yield: Makes about 2 cups
1 pound tomatillos (about 6 large), papery husks removed, rinsed
1/2 large onion, cut into thirds
2 serrano chiles, halved, seeded
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (loosely packed) fresh cilantro leaves
Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss first 5 ingredients in 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Roast in oven until tomatillos and onion are very soft, about 1 hour. Transfer contents of baking dish to processor and add cilantro. Puree until almost smooth. Transfer salsa to bowl.
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