RECIPES

TAMALES OAXAQUEÑOS OAXACAN STYLE MOLE TAMALES from Chef Susanna Trilling These tamales wrapped in banana leaves are the famous tamales of Oaxaca. They are filled with chicken, turkey or pork combined with mole negro or mole coloradito. The two moles are interchangeable according to what you may have on hand. These are labor intensive, but quite worth the effort. I always joke that one of the reasons that Mexicans have extended families is so that there are enough hands to help in making tamales. Get yourself some extra hands to help you make and eat them afterward, too. One of the biggest rewards is the aroma of the tamal pot in your kitchen. Makes 18 tamales INGREDIENTS Seasoning ingredients for pork stock 1 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes Sea salt to taste 1 ½ pounds prepared masa for tamales or 3 cups masa harina for tamales 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 cups lard (¾ pound), softened 8 banana leaves, fresh or frozen (see Hints - we used corn husks for this batch) 2 12 oz jars ¡Ya Oaxaca! Mole negro or Mole coloradito 1 package cornhusks, soaked in hot water for ½ hour METHOD In a heavy 6-quart stockpot, bring 3 quarts of water and your favorite seasoning ingredients to a boil. Once boiling, add the pork and return to a boil. Skim off any foam that appears on the surface and discard. Lower the heat, cover, and cook the meat 1 hour or until tender. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside. If you are using prepared masa, break up the masa in a large bowl. If using masa harina, put it in a mixing bowl and add warm water according to directions. Mix well and allow the dough to rest 15 minutes. Add the baking powder to either masa and mix well. Add the lard if it is fresh (soft). If the lard is the block type, whip it as much as possible to get it light, then add it to the masa. Mix in the lard well by hand or electric mixer. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons sea salt to 1 cups reserved stock and add to the dough, stirring well. Taste for salt and add more if necessary. You should be able to taste the salt, but it should not be salty. Whip the masa well until light, about 20 minutes. You can use the whip attachment on a mixer. Cut the banana leaves into 12-inch pieces and heat on a comal or grill over high heat until they change color and are soft. (Alternately soak the corn husks in warm water for 30 min) Shred the cooked pork. Shred 5 of the cornhusks into strips and tie the strips together in pairs. Place a single piece of banana leaf on a tray. Place 3 level tablespoons of masa on the center of the leaf. Place a sheet of plastic (a plastic bag cut in half works best) on top of the mass of dough. Spread the masa to almost cover the whole leaf, leaving about a 1-inch margin on all sides. Remove the plastic wrap and set aside for the next tamal. In the center, place 1 tablespoon shredded pork and 3 level spoonfuls of mole. Fold the top edge of the banana leaf down and bottom edge up to form thirds; then fold in the sides, one by one, to make a small (or large) package. Tie with the cornhusk ties to secure. Repeat with the remaining banana leaves. Fill a tamalera or steamer with salted water up to the level of the rack. Place the rack in the pot and cover the rack with the extra cornhusks for flavor. Place the tamales on rack and steam for 1 hour or until masa falls away from the banana leaf when opened. Hints: You can reheat the tamales the next day on a comal or griddle by grilling them in their “wrappers”, covered with a lid or steaming them, in a steamer. I prefer the slight charring of the leaves on the griddle, giving them an added smoky flavor. In looking for banana leaves, try to get Thai leaves in the Asian markets that are frozen. I find the Filipino variety to be thick and tend to crack a lot. When you use the frozen leaves, allow them to defrost in their packages then boil according to directions. Excerpted from ¨Seasons of My Heart, A Culinary Journey Through Oaxaca, Mexico¨(Ballantine Books, November 1999, ISBN 0-345-42596-0)