TAMALES, CORN, OR, MEAT

Tamales (corn, chili or, meat)
These are the best tasting tamales made. Everyone loves them and when my family been away for a while it’s the first thing my children wants when visiting. I’m doing them for Christmas. Sarah’s visiting and she wants me to make the inside corn mixture and she does the outside husk and we wrap the next day.
Shan's my son. His approach of making corn tamales is a bit different than myself. Everyone has their own style. It's the quick and easy way that’s done in one day. The new generation style today. I thought to add his change or variation here since this is the family’s favorite recipe. We use both variations, one in winter and the fresh corn in the summer. On the 4th, when the family was together and the corns in season, we tried using the frozen dough already made up. You can buy it at some of the super markets. It has baking powders in it and is denser than in this recipe. We don't like how the corn seeps through this mesa corn meal using baking powder. However, it’s nice to know about in a pinch. Here are two versions of the same tamale, one is Shann’s quick version and Mom’ is the latter.
Shannon's Quick Corn Tamales: SOAK: Cornhusks in warm water until soft, and drain and dry. (Or use the some of the green husk on the corn). Use a few pieces of the green corn husk if you’re lucky to get any because of the extra flavor it gives to the tamale. Save this silk to make up into a cup tea). Dry it for later. Don't use the old brown silk off the husk thats in the packages of corn husks sold on the mexican spice isle in the grocery. FILLING: 2 bag frozen white or organic sweet corn then, pulse in hand blender or a quick pulse on a processor, (About. 3-4 of crushed corn-just cracked or broken up), cook in a skillet with some butter to release the juices then add the pint of heavy whipping cream, and (1 Tbs. sugar, 3/4 tsp salts) Add to the corn in saucepan, and then remove from heat. Add in 1/12 cups to 2 cup of Monterey Jack cheese. This can be made up the day before and refrigerated for easier handling. Add about 2 tbs in center of each tamale and fold the mesa in the corn husk over it.


DOUGH: Mix 3 1/2 or less cups of mesa flour (for tamales) with 2 ~ 15 ounce cans of chicken broth and 1/2 cube of butter or margarine. It can be done with out it but don’t. It’s not as flavorful. Add in some chopped cilantro if desired. Mix until consistency of thick frosting. Spread onto cornhusks, and add filling mix down center of husk and roll into a tight package. (You can tie end with strips edges of cornhusks)
STEAM: On top of stove in a cold pack canner (Use as a steamer) steam for 30-45 minutes or until dough is set. Move onto serving plate. Let tamales continue to cook in shell for about 30-45 minutes before serving. It depends on how many tamales you steam at one time. I always take one out and test to see how it comes off the husk. Yum! * You can use the green husk off the corn. It leaves a heavenly taste that's worth doing at least once, or combining the two – three green cornhusks together. Use the dough for the in between glue that over-laps them.
Momma's Style Corn Tamales
4 lg. or 6 small ears of corn (about 3-4 cups barely crushed corn)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1-tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (if it settles and not in a fluffy pile, if not use 2 cups)
Corn: With electric knife remove enough fresh corn from cobs to make about 3 cups. Then mix in blender or food chopper corn, and cream, not enough to Pure'. (Don't over mix...just break the corn in halves) Pour the corn mixture into frying pan with some butter and fry to release the jusices then, add sugar, and salt. Boil rapidly, while stirring, until this has reduced to 2-3 cups (depends on corn). This can scorch easily so don't leave it. After you have removed from heat then add the cheese. Refrigerate, chilling the mixture over night. It will clump into balls and easier to handle and all the flavors macerate together. Next Day: **have your husk soaking in warm water and dried. Then spread 1 large, or 2 smaller sections then overlapping these husks with the mesa dough. In the center spread 1 1/2- 2 tablespoons of the mesa mixture. Fold sides of the cornhusks coated to the edges with mesa over the corn filling making a good sealing. Make ties strings out of the worst corn husks to tie ends of the tamales. Mesa
3 cups Mesa (make sure it's for tamales) There is a prepared frozen bag mesa ready to spread in grocery stores. It's great to cut time in a pinch.
2+ cups chicken broth concentrate (or, vegetable broth) (Buy three cans as the dough set you'll need to add more broth.)
Mix Mesa, and broth together with 3/4-cup soft butter, lard or shortening until dough is well blended.
Add enough chicken broth to make it easy to spread mesa mix over the dried husks. Close by using a thin cornhusk tie or folding method. See on the package of Mesa for further instructions.
Steam: With a cold pack steamer, add to it's top, water in the bottom and stack the tamales in layers going different directions with each layer. Steam (45 min.-- 1 hour), depending on how many is being made at one time or how high the stack. The dough will come off the sides easily when done. It's always fun testing. (Makes about 3 doz.)

This is the best eating. Our family liked to eat them for the 4th of July, but now it's when we get together. You can't buy them. You have to make them. My son Shann has even mastered more technique adding a few of his own variations. I think he even bought a tamale book. Mine are more the Indian style.
Variations: I do have other tamale recipes made of beef, pork, lamb or chicken but this one is the best for a non-meat variation. · to make this meat here's the simplest way. Use a small chuck roast, lamb, pork, turkey, chicken will do. (Wild game is great) or just use up meat on sale or in freezer.
· Cook meat till it falls apart. Cool, then tear apart the meat into small pieces and add tomato sauce with a big block of chili con carne, (usually in the frozen section of the grocery stores) or just use its spices and make up your own chili con carne. (Read label)
Chili Con Carne comes frozen in blocks. Keep the meat moist by adding some liquids with tomato sauce close to the end of cooking (KEEPING IT THICK so it won’t seep through the mesa and is easier to work with). I like to let it harden in the refridge till morning so I can handle it better like the corn method. Follow the rest of the direction with the corn tamales just substituting the corn part to meat.
*Did you know the corn silk from the husks would rid gallstones? Save it and make silk tea for preventive.
Publishing rights reserved P.T Sherman


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