Rick Bayless is a James Beard Award-winning chef and author. He is the host of the public television series, Mexico—One Plate at a Time and the author of seven successful cookbooks, including his newest, Fiesta at Rick’s. Rick owns three Chicago restaurants — the Frontera Grill, topolobampo, and XOCO — and was also recently named Bravo’s Top Chef Master.Ingredients:
Makes 12 to 14 tamales
^ One 8-ounce package dried corn husks
^ 5 ounces (a scant 2/3 cup) fresh, rich-tasting pork lard (we’ve also had pretty good luck using Spectrum Organic All Vegetable Shortening), soft but not runny
^ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
^ Salt
^ 1 pound (about 2 cups) coarse-ground corn masa for
^ tamales OR 1 3/4 cups dried masa harina for
^ tamales mixed with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons
^ hot water
^ About 3/4 cup chicken broth for thinning the masa and the optional second beating
^ 2 cups shredded, peeled butternut squash (you’ll need about 1/2 of a small squash)
^ 1-1/2 cups very coarsely shredded roasted or grilled chicken (thighs, rather than breasts, stay moistest during the long steaming—starting with raw boneless, skinless thighs, you need 4 to 6, about 1 pound)
^ 2 canned chipotle chiles en adobo, seeded (if you wish) and finely chopped
^ 2 tablespoons of the chipotle canning sauce
Preparation:
1. Soak the corn husks. In a heat-proof bowl, pour boiling water over the corn husks. Lay a plate on the top to keep the husks submerged. Let them rehydrate for a couple of hours until pliable.
2. Prepare the batter. Measure the lard (or shortening), baking powder and 2 teaspoons salt into the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment if there is one, beat on medium-high until light in texture, about a minute.
In 3 additions, add the masa, fully incorporating each one before adding the next. Reduce the speed to medium-low, and slowly dribble in enough chicken broth (usually about 1/2 cup) to give the mixture the consistency of cake batter.
Raise the speed to medium-high again and beat for another minute. The mixture has been beaten enough when it’s so fluffy that a 1/2 teaspoon dollop floats in a cup of cold water. Stir in the shredded butternut. If time allows, refrigerate the batter for 1 hour.
3. Prepare the filling, set up steamer for tamales. In a small bowl, mix together the coarse chicken shreds with the chopped chipotle and its sauce. Pour 1 1/2 inches of water in the bottom of a steamer: it needs to be large enough to hold 14 tamales; best if it’s at least 10 inches in diameter with 6 inches of depth for standing up the tamales, like a small Mexican tamal steamer, large vegetable steamer or deep Chinese steamer. Drain the husks, then choose 14 of the largest, most pliable ones—they should be at least 6 inches long and 6 inches wide (at the widest end). (If there aren’t enough large husks, you can overlap smaller ones.) Use several of the longest remaining cornhusks to tear into 1/4-inch strips for tying the tamales.
4. Make the tamales. For the lightest tamales, beat the refrigerated batter again, slowly adding an extra 1/4 cup chicken broth or water. (For this to be effective, the batter will need at least an hour’s refrigeration to firm up, allowing for the broth’s addition without becoming too soft.) One at a time, form the tamales: On the wide end of one of the large husks, spread 1/4 cup of the batter into a 4-inch square, leaving 1 1/2 inches uncovered on the narrow end and at least 3/4 inch on each of the long sides. Lay a portion of the chipotle chicken down the center of the batter. Pick up the two long sides of the husk and bring them together, encasing the filling with the batter and creating a seal. Wrap the two long sides you’re holding around the tamal in the same direction to create a long cylinder shape. (If the husk is small, feel free to roll the whole thing in another husk.) Fold up the empty 1 1/2 inches to form a “bottom” on which the tamal will stand while steaming; tie it in place with one of the corn husk strips. Stand each tamal in the steamer while you form the remaining tamales. Lay extra husks over the open tops of the tamales (don’t worry about covering them completely—they won’t get soggy as they steam).
5. Steam the tamales. Cover the steamer and set over high heat. When the steam comes puffing out, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the batter firms up and comes free from the husk, about 1 1/4 hours. (Remove a tamal from the steamer to test it. Even when done, the tamal itself will seem very soft.) Make sure that the water doesn’t boil away; if it becomes necessary to replenish the water, add boiling water. Turn off the heat under the steamer and let stand, covered, about 15 minutes for the tamales to firm up.
Note:
One thing about mixing shredded butternut (or any winter) squash into the dough for tamales: it’s guaranteed to add extra moistness, almost giving the tamales a rich, steamed-pudding texture. Of course, butternut adds color as well, and a gentle sweetness that’s perfect with the spiciness of chipotle chile in the simple chicken filling.
This Starter recipe was published in 'Martha Stewart Living Radio Thanks giving Hotline Recipes 2010 - p10'.
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