Tamales #5

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

FILLING
DOUGH
Filling: Place pork in a large, heavy saucepan or Dutch oven and add water
just to the top of the meat. Add two teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper
and raisins. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to
moderately low and simmer about two hours, or until meat is very tender.
Strain stock into a container for use in the dough. When meat is cool
enough to handle, shred with a fork or fingers. Puree onion, garlic,
tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, shiles and jalapeno in a blender or
processor.
Heat lard in a skillet over moderate heat. Add puree, 1/2 tablespoon salt,
bay leaf, and sugar and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Mix
puree with the shredded meat and raisins. Taste and add additional salt,
pepper, or jalapenos if desired. Makes about five cups.
Dough: In a small, straight-sided mixing bowl beat the lard with an
electric mixer, processor, or fork until it is light and fluffy. On a piece
of wax paper mix masa with salt and baking powder and beat into lard,
adding about 1/4 of the mixture at a time. When well mixed, beat in stock
1/4 cup at a time to make a slightly mushy, but not watery, dough.
Construction: Put shucks in a large bowl, cover with very hot water, and
let soak for at least 1-1/2 to two hours, until soft and pliable. If using
packaged shucks, separate them after a few minutes of soaking to make sure
each one is in contact with the water. Before using, shake excess water
from the softened shucks. Wet your hands. For each tamale spread about two
tablespoons of the dough into a rectangle on the inside of a shuck; spread
to within 3/4 inch of the edges and leave about three inches at the pointed
end and 1-1/2 inches at the wide end of the shuck. Spread 1-1/2 to two
tablespoons filling lengthwise down the center of the dough. Fold over ends
of shucks so that dough completely covers filling. Arrange tamales upright
in steamer with folded wide ends down.
To cook tamales, fill the bottom of a steamer with water to a depth of
about one inch. If desired, line steamer basket with additional corn
shucks. Pack wrapped tamales upright in basket with the broad ends of the
shucks down. When steamer is full, cover tamales with additional shucks or
a clean dish towel to prevent condensation from soaking them. Cover pot
tightly and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to moderately low
and steam one to 1-1/2 hours. Add water as necessary. Unwrap a tamale, and
if dough comes away from the shuck easily, tamales are cooked. Tightly
covered, tamales may be kept several days in the refrigerator, or they may
be frozen for several weeks. Reheat, covered, in a 300 F. oven.
Mary Alice Cisneros
The Only Texas Cookbook
WARING@IMA.INFOMAIL.COM
(SAM WARING)
REC.FOOD.RECIPES
From rec.food.cooking archives.  Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe Archive,
http://www.erols.com/hosey.

A Message from our Provider:

“Forbidden fruits create many jams”