Tamale Holiday

We’re cooking blue corn tamales for the holidays.

Creating tamales is a social event. We like to invite friends, lubricate the group with rompope, Mexican eggnog, and whip up a big batch of tamales for everyone to share. In many Hispanic homes the kick off party for the holidays is a big tamale making involving grandmothers and small children.

The traditional process begins with making masa, a dough made from ground hominy, or nixtamal. To make nixtamal, start with dry corn kernels.  We grow a dark blue corn, originally from Jemez Pueblo. Soak 3 pounds dry corn in 4 quarts of boiling water with 5 tablespoons of pickling lime (cal) overnight, then rinse it well and grind it into a paste. We grind our masa in a hand mill, which is a lot of work (we need to rig it with a motor!). You can buy good frozen masa at grocery stores with all the other tamale ingredients. Look for big displays of chili pods, corn husks and masa this time of year.

The ancient process of nixtamalización (from the Nahuatl words for ashes and corn) dates from 1500 BC, perhaps when some perceptive cook found ashes in her corn cooking pot. She rinsed the corn with fresh water, and found the result to be tender and tasty. It was easy to grind; the ground “masa” dough could be patted out and baked into tasty cakes, tortillas, or wrapped in cornhusks and steamed, tamales.

Amazingly, nixtamalización makes corn into a much more nutritious food. The processes converts undigestible niacin (vitamin B3) into a digestible form, improves the protein quality, and substantially increases calcium. Everywhere that corn was planted in the Pre-Colombian Americas, and that was everywhere, the ash trick went with it. The powerful Mayan, Aztec and Incan civilizations were built on this process.

I love tamales for the holidays. They’re ready to heat and eat no matter how many friends and extended family members drop in for good cheer and for another shot of Rompope. Happy Holidays!

Red Chili Tamales

Just one of the thousand varieties. Makes 4 dozen.

THE FILLING

1 pound beef round
1 pound pork roast
1 bulb garlic
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
2 allspice berries or 2 pinches of ground allspice
5 ounces dried whole chili pods, mild or hot
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 ½ tablespoons flour
salt to taste

Place meat in a big pan and barely cover with water. Add garlic, oregano and allspice.  Cover and simmer until cooked through, about 1 hour.  Drain, reserving broth.  Shred meat.

Remove stems and seeds from chili pods (if they are hot, you’d better wear gloves.) Put in a pan with just enough water to cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain. Place in blender and buzz until smooth, adding just enough water to keep the mixture moving.  

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add oil and flour and stir until flour sizzles and takes on a light color.  Add chili puree and fry for a few minutes. Add enough water to make a thick sauce.  Add meat and salt to taste.  Simmer gently for a few minutes and remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill if not using immediately.

THE MASA

4 pounds fresh masa, defrosted
1 1/3 pound lard or butter at room temperature
2 tablespoons baking powder
Salt to taste
Broth from cooking meat

Use a mixer if you have it, otherwise a strong arm will do. Beat lard or butter until creamy.  Beat in baking powder and salt.  Add masa a little at a time, alternating with broth.  Beat well.  Masa is the right consistency when it will float on water.

ASSEMBLY & COOKING

1 package corn husks

Unfold cornhusks and soak in hot tap water for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Lay a cornhusk with the narrow end pointing away from you. Using a butter knife spread a ¼ inch layer of masa over the cornhusk, leaving the top 2 inches clean.  Put 1-2 tablespoons of filling vertically in the cornhusk. Roll from one side so you have a tube with the filling running down the center.  Fold up the end.

Load tamales into a steamer standing up with the folded end on the bottom.  Pack the tamales in so they remain standing. Steam gently for 1 ½ hours. Eat immdiately, refrigerate or freeze.  Reheat by steaming.

INGREDIENTS (available at all markets)

Fresh Masa:  Corn that has been soaked in a lime solution and precooked (nixtamal), then ground into a fine paste. Sold frozen. I recommend Mama Lola’s.  Avoid dried versions.
Hojas: Corn leaves, dried. Mama Lola’s are the best available.
Chili Pods: Dried chili colorado or ancho pods.  They come mild or hot. Remove stems and seeds.  Wear gloves when handling and don’t rub your eyes.
Mexican Oregano: A very pungent and flavorful version, sold in the Mexican spice section with the chilies.

Rompope, Mexican Eggnog

Makes about 7 cups, 28 shots

4 cups milk
1 cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4-cup finely ground almonds
12 egg yolks
2 cups light rum

Bring milk, sugar, and cinnamon to a boil. Simmer, very gently, stirring frequently for 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature and stir occasionally while cooling. In a small bowl beat egg yolks and almond meal together until very thick and light in color. If you don’t have a machine for this, a wire whisk works great. Gradually add the milk mixture, beating continuously. Return to heat and cook very slowly until mixture coats a spoon. Do not walk away from the stove; hang in there. Cool completely. Add rum. Pour into a bottle and seal tightly. Refrigerate. Best after 2 days. Drink as a liqueur.