Fresh Corn Tamales with Tomatillo-Chile Sauce
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
1 hour
Yield
Makes 12 tamales
Ingredients
<B>Fresh Corn Tamales</b>
2 large ears fresh sweet corn (plus extra husks if needed)2 cups fresh masa (1 pound) or Substitute Masa (see recipe that follows)2 ounces unsalted butter, cut into half-inch cubes and softened slightly¼ cup fresh lard, cut into half-inch cubes2 tablespoons sugar ½ teaspoon table salt 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder<B>Quick-Cooked Tomatillo-Chile Sauce</b>
½ pound fresh tomatillos, husked and washed <I>or</I> two 13-ounce cans tomatillos, drained1 jalapeño chile or 2 serrano chile peppers, stemmed (and seeded if you prefer a milder sauce)2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves ½ small onion, chopped coarse1 small clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped1 ½ teaspoons lard or vegetable oil½ cup chicken stock or beef stock or low-sodium chicken or beef broth<B>Substitute Masa for Tamales</b>
⅔ cup quick grits (not instant)¾ cup masa harinaBefore You Begin
The special fresh masa for tamales (more coarsely ground than the masa used for tortillas) is available at many grocery stores that carry Latin American food products. If you cannot easily locate masa, you can make an acceptable substitute by combining masa harina and quick-cooking grits with water (see recipe below). The result will be be slightly coarser and not quite as homogeneous as fresh masa, but will still make fine tamales. If you decide to use dried corn husks, drop husk “packets” into boiling water; cover and simmer until husks soften throughout, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly, then separate husks. Choose some of the small inner husks for shredding into ties and lining steamer basket.
Instructions
- If using dried husks, see note above. If using fresh corn husks as wrappers, cut through each ear of corn, just above the base, with a large sharp knife. Carefully remove husks without tearing. Shred two small husks to make ties; wrap husks and ties in plastic, and set aside. (If husks start to curl, blanch very briefly in boiling water to relax.) Remove and discard corn silk from corn.
- Slice kernels off cob and scrape each cob with back of knife to remove remaining bits of corn and juice. Place corn in food processor; pulse to a medium-coarse puree. Add remaining ingredients (except husks); pulse several times to mix, then process until mixture is light and very smooth, about 1 minute.
- Measure about 1 inch of water in a large saucepan. Set a collapsible vegetable steamer into saucepan. Line steamer and pan sides with corn husks. Follow illustrations below to fill and form tamales. As the tamales are made, stand them in prepared steamer. Cover and steam, checking water level frequently and replenishing with boiling water as needed, until tamales easily come free from husks, about 1 hour for tamales made with fresh masa and 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours if made with substitute masa.
- Meanwhile, place tomatillos and chiles in a small saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to boil; simmer until barely tender, about 10 minutes.
- Remove tomatillos and chiles with a slotted spoon; cool. Transfer to a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add cilantro, onion, and garlic; pulse to a coarse puree.
- Heat lard or oil in a medium skillet. When a drop of puree causes oil to sizzle, add puree all at once; cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until mixture darkens and thickens, about 5 minutes. Add broth; bring to boil. Simmer until mixture thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt. Serve warm on top of unwrapped tamales.
- Pulverize grits in a spice grinder (in batches) or blender, then transfer them to a medium-size bowl.
- Whisk in 1 1/4 cups boiling water (don’t worry if grits lump a bit; mixture is eventually pureed in food processor); let stand 10 minutes. Stir in masa harina; cover and cool to room temperature.
for the tamales
for the sauce
to substitute masa for tamales
Time
1 hourYield
Makes 12 tamalesIngredients
<B>Fresh Corn Tamales</b>
2 large ears fresh sweet corn (plus extra husks if needed)
2 cups fresh masa (1 pound) or Substitute Masa (see recipe that follows)
2 ounces unsalted butter, cut into half-inch cubes and softened slightly
¼ cup fresh lard, cut into half-inch cubes
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
<B>Quick-Cooked Tomatillo-Chile Sauce</b>
½ pound fresh tomatillos, husked and washed <I>or</I> two 13-ounce cans tomatillos, drained
1 jalapeño chile or 2 serrano chile peppers, stemmed (and seeded if you prefer a milder sauce)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
½ small onion, chopped coarse
1 small clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 ½ teaspoons lard or vegetable oil
½ cup chicken stock or beef stock or low-sodium chicken or beef broth
<B>Substitute Masa for Tamales</b>
⅔ cup quick grits (not instant)
¾ cup masa harina
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
<B>Fresh Corn Tamales</b>
2 large ears fresh sweet corn (plus extra husks if needed)
2 cups fresh masa (1 pound) or Substitute Masa (see recipe that follows)
2 ounces unsalted butter, cut into half-inch cubes and softened slightly
¼ cup fresh lard, cut into half-inch cubes
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
<B>Quick-Cooked Tomatillo-Chile Sauce</b>
½ pound fresh tomatillos, husked and washed <I>or</I> two 13-ounce cans tomatillos, drained
1 jalapeño chile or 2 serrano chile peppers, stemmed (and seeded if you prefer a milder sauce)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
½ small onion, chopped coarse
1 small clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 ½ teaspoons lard or vegetable oil
½ cup chicken stock or beef stock or low-sodium chicken or beef broth
<B>Substitute Masa for Tamales</b>
⅔ cup quick grits (not instant)
¾ cup masa harina
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
<B>Fresh Corn Tamales</b>
2 large ears fresh sweet corn (plus extra husks if needed)
2 cups fresh masa (1 pound) or Substitute Masa (see recipe that follows)
2 ounces unsalted butter, cut into half-inch cubes and softened slightly
¼ cup fresh lard, cut into half-inch cubes
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
<B>Quick-Cooked Tomatillo-Chile Sauce</b>
½ pound fresh tomatillos, husked and washed <I>or</I> two 13-ounce cans tomatillos, drained
1 jalapeño chile or 2 serrano chile peppers, stemmed (and seeded if you prefer a milder sauce)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
½ small onion, chopped coarse
1 small clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 ½ teaspoons lard or vegetable oil
½ cup chicken stock or beef stock or low-sodium chicken or beef broth
<B>Substitute Masa for Tamales</b>
⅔ cup quick grits (not instant)
¾ cup masa harina
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For a light tamale recipe, full of corn flavor, the keys were to use baking powder as the leavener and to beat the lard together with the masa to trap a lot of air. This caused the dough to expand as the tamales steamed, so they became much fluffier. To maximize corn flavor, we added pureed fresh sweet corn directly to the masa.
Before You Begin
The special fresh masa for tamales (more coarsely ground than the masa used for tortillas) is available at many grocery stores that carry Latin American food products. If you cannot easily locate masa, you can make an acceptable substitute by combining masa harina and quick-cooking grits with water (see recipe below). The result will be be slightly coarser and not quite as homogeneous as fresh masa, but will still make fine tamales. If you decide to use dried corn husks, drop husk “packets” into boiling water; cover and simmer until husks soften throughout, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly, then separate husks. Choose some of the small inner husks for shredding into ties and lining steamer basket.
Instructions
- If using dried husks, see note above. If using fresh corn husks as wrappers, cut through each ear of corn, just above the base, with a large sharp knife. Carefully remove husks without tearing. Shred two small husks to make ties; wrap husks and ties in plastic, and set aside. (If husks start to curl, blanch very briefly in boiling water to relax.) Remove and discard corn silk from corn.
- Slice kernels off cob and scrape each cob with back of knife to remove remaining bits of corn and juice. Place corn in food processor; pulse to a medium-coarse puree. Add remaining ingredients (except husks); pulse several times to mix, then process until mixture is light and very smooth, about 1 minute.
- Measure about 1 inch of water in a large saucepan. Set a collapsible vegetable steamer into saucepan. Line steamer and pan sides with corn husks. Follow illustrations below to fill and form tamales. As the tamales are made, stand them in prepared steamer. Cover and steam, checking water level frequently and replenishing with boiling water as needed, until tamales easily come free from husks, about 1 hour for tamales made with fresh masa and 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours if made with substitute masa.
- Meanwhile, place tomatillos and chiles in a small saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to boil; simmer until barely tender, about 10 minutes.
- Remove tomatillos and chiles with a slotted spoon; cool. Transfer to a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add cilantro, onion, and garlic; pulse to a coarse puree.
- Heat lard or oil in a medium skillet. When a drop of puree causes oil to sizzle, add puree all at once; cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until mixture darkens and thickens, about 5 minutes. Add broth; bring to boil. Simmer until mixture thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt. Serve warm on top of unwrapped tamales.
- Pulverize grits in a spice grinder (in batches) or blender, then transfer them to a medium-size bowl.
- Whisk in 1 1/4 cups boiling water (don’t worry if grits lump a bit; mixture is eventually pureed in food processor); let stand 10 minutes. Stir in masa harina; cover and cool to room temperature.
for the tamales
for the sauce
to substitute masa for tamales
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