Tamales part with tradition!

I'm uncertain where in my mind this recipe was born exactly. It might have taken it's inspiration from my recent exploring of New Mexico on the web for an upcoming road trip or it might have been born two nights ago when I stayed up late watching the fusion-happy restaurant owner strut his stuff in I Like Killing Flies.

Either way, this tamale tastes like it married a pasta alfredo and had sweet little fruit babies. I really like it.

Tamales with Orange Tarragon Cream Sauce

Equipment: large stock pot, for soaking corn husks and steaming tamales, steamer basket, tongs, stand mixer (optional -may use large bowl and mix with hands), saucepan for preparing sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. dry corn husks

 For masa:

• 6 c. masa harina
• 1c. corn or vegetable oil
• 4 c. vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. cumin

  For filling:

• 1 Tbsp. butter, to saute
• 5 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. cubes
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 c. corn kernels
• 1-1/2 c. raisins, soaked
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 c. yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1 Tbsp. fresh tarragon, minced
• salt, pepper and cumin, to taste

• monterey jack cheese, grated
• cotija cheese, crumbled

  For orange tarragon cream sauce:

• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp. tarragon, minced
• 1 Tbsp. orange rind
• 1/2 tsp. orange extract
• salt, cracked pepper and cumin, to taste

Directions:

• Prepare corn husks by soaking in water in large stock pot, using a bowl to weight them down.
• Prepare the masa using a stand mixer, or your hands and a large bowl. Put in masa harina, then the oil, then the broth in small increments. Add salt (it seems like a lot of salt, yes. but the masa usually gets an addition of mole, which this recipe doesn't include, so the salt is necessary to flavor it), baking powder and cumin and continue to mix until you have a smooth and moist consistency. Add some water or more broth if you have a dry, clumpy dough.
• Saute your filling ingredients, potatoes first, then add celery then corn and soaked raisins, then zucchini, onions and garlic, cooking each down before adding the next. Season, add walnuts and add tarragon in the last moments of sauteing.
• Remove, rinse and dry corn husks, refill stock pot with water about 1/4 way full and set on heat.
• Prepare the sauce, start by making a blond roux: in small saucepan on low heat, place 2 Tbsp. butter, add 2 Tbsp. flour and stir fairly constantly until you have a fairly dry, doughy consistency. Add the milk and heavy cream, then the orange rind, tarragon and seasonings, whisk constantly until thickened.
• Assemble your tamales: lay one large husk down on a clean surface, (keep bowl of water nearby for wetting hands), wet hands, grab one handful of masa and lay down center of husk. Add a layer of your filling mixture atop, then some grated monterey jack cheese. Wrap up like a burrito or tie both ends using a small strip of corn husk (I find this the easiest, and prettiest method). Set aside and repeat.
• Once water is ready for steaming, set tamales in steamer basket in one layer only, cover and steam for 20-30 minutes. Remove with tongs.
• Serve by opening wrap, pouring about a Tbsp. sauce over it and topping with the cotija cheese.

-can be frozen by first cooling then placing in a freezer container with wax paper between layers. Reheat by steaming.


XO, Debbie