Recipe courtesy of
Jacqueline Tris
for
Food Network Kitchen
Recipe courtesy of
Jacqueline Tris
for
Food Network Kitchen
Watch how to make this recipe.
Tamales de Rajas con Queso
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- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 3 hr 30 min
- Active: 1 hr 30 min
- Yield: 35 to 45 tamales
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 40 servings
- Calories
- 358
- Total Fat
- 17 g
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 45 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Protein
- 11 g
- Cholesterol
- 27 mg
- Sodium
- 578 mg
These classic Mexican tamales feature a tender masa corn dough filled with a flavorful mix of sliced poblano peppers (rajas), cheese and roasted tomato salsa. Tamales are a beloved dish year-round but are especially popular during the holidays. Preparing the fillings and folding the treats up in corn husks is a bit labor-intensive, so tamale making often involves the whole family. If you’re making them on your own you may want to prepare the salsa and filling a day ahead to break up the process. Once steamed, you can top the tamales with more salsa and also add crema and beans if you like for even more flavor and texture. Got leftovers? Their convenient husk makes tamales the perfect on-the-go breakfast or lunch.
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 3 hr 30 min
- Active: 1 hr 30 min
- Yield: 35 to 45 tamales
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 40 servings
- Calories
- 358
- Total Fat
- 17 g
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 45 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Protein
- 11 g
- Cholesterol
- 27 mg
- Sodium
- 578 mg
Ingredients
Salsa:
Filling:
Masa:
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Directions
- For the salsa: Preheat the broiler. Toss the tomatoes, onion, jalapeños and garlic on a sheet pan and with the oil. Broil until the vegetables are blistered and charred in spots, 6 to 8 minutes, turning and tossing them every 2 minutes.
- Combine the roasted tomatoes, onion and garlic in a high-powered blender. Depending on the level of spice you prefer, you can add both jalapeños to the salsa as is or for a milder salsa remove the seeds from one or both jalapeños (see Cook’s Note). Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and blend on medium-high speed until the vegetables are puréed, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Reserve 1 cup of salsa in a small bowl for serving and set the rest aside in the blender.
- For the filling: Combine the poblanos and corn on a sheet pan and toss with the oil. Broil until darkened on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes, turning the vegetables every 2 minutes. Set the corn aside to cool. Place the poblanos in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow them to steam for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Using a damp kitchen towel or your fingers, gently rub the blistered skin from the poblanos. Split them open with a paring knife and remove the stem and seeds. Cut the poblanos into thin strips. Cut the kernels off the corn cobs and toss the kernels with the poblano strips.
- Set a large skillet with high sides over medium-low heat and melt the manteca. Once heated, add the sliced onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Toss in the poblanos and corn, then add the remaining tomato salsa in the blender. Stir to coat all the vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook until bubbling and the sauce is slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside; you can refrigerate the filling up to a day ahead if you like.
- For the masa: Place the cold manteca in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until whipped and slightly fluffy, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the masa harina. Continue mixing until a crumbly dough forms, 3 to 4 minutes. Leaving the speed on low, slowly stream in the warm broth until a soft dough forms; you might not need all of the broth. Increase the speed to medium low and add the baking powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Continue mixing until everything is incorporated, 5 to 8 minutes. The dough should be soft but not sticky; if it’s dry add more broth. Taste and add more salt if needed. Cover the masa with a damp towel and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- To form the tamales, pat the soaked corn husks dry. Place one on a flat surface with the wider end away from you. Add about 3 tablespoons masa to the center of the husk (see Cook’s Note). Use a bench scraper or an offset spatula to spread the dough toward the top (wider part) and sides of the husk, leaving the bottom bare and a 1/2-inch border on the top and sides. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the filling down the center of the masa and place a stick of cheese in the middle. Fold the sides of the corn husk inward, wrapping the dough around the filling, then fold the narrow end up toward the center to create a packet. If your tamale unravels, tear strips from another husk and tie two strips together to create a longer ribbon; use the ribbon to tie your tamale together. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
- Set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with about 2 inches of water (a typical steamer basket fits about 25 tamales, so you might need to steam in batches or prepare two steamers to cook them all). Line the steamer basket with a few leftover corn husks. Arrange the tamales standing open-end up in the steamer basket. It’s okay if they peek out over the top a bit. Cover the tamales with more corn husks, a damp towel, aluminum foil and finally a tight-fitting lid to prevent any steam from escaping. Bring the water to a boil and steam on high for 45 minutes, then on medium high until the husk starts to easily peel away from the masa and the masa is firmer to the touch, 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes longer. Check the water in the bottom of the pot every 20 minutes and add more as needed.
- Uncover the tamales and cool in the pot 15 minutes. Transfer them to a serving platter and let them continue to cool. The dough will firm up more as it cools; you’ll know the tamales are ready to serve when the husk peels away from the masa easily. Serve the tamales with the reserved 1 cup salsa. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen in an airtight container or wrapped individually for up to 3 months. To reheat leftover tamales, you can steam them again, microwave them or toast them on a comal until heated through.
Cook’s Note
When handling chiles I recommend wearing gloves to avoid getting the burning oils they can release on your skin. The size of your tamales and yield will depend on the size of your corn husks. If the husks are large use more masa and filling. If the husks feel too fragile or small, layer two husks on top of each other. If you want to make these vegetarian, replace the manteca with chilled shortening and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
