Double Queso y Papa Tamal with Crema con Sal

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  • PREP TIME
    3 Hrs.
  • COOK TIME
    2 Hrs.
  • SERVINGS
    Serves 18
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Double Queso y Papa Tamal with Crema con Sal

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

Oaxaca
Oaxaca
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Queso Quesadilla
Queso Quesadilla
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Ranchero<sup>®</sup> Crema Con Sal
Ranchero® Crema Con Sal
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  • 1 8-oz. pkg. dried corn husks
  • For the Filling
  • pickled jalapeno
  • blistered tomatoes (see recipe below)
  • 3 – large potatoes cut into 1 inch thick wedges (raw)
  • 1 – 10oz. Cacique’s Oaxaca cheese, cut into ½ inch strips
  • 1 – 10oz. Cacique’s Queso Quesadilla, cut into ½ inch strips
  • Masa for Tamales
  • 1 cup solid vegetable shortening – (Better for you than lard, and masa was equally as tasty)
  • 1 Tbs. kosher salt
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 3 1/2 cups masa harina for tamales ( I used Bob’s Red Mill – No GMO’s)
  • 2 cups warm water
  • 1 – cup green salsa (store bought or homemade- see recipe below for homemade)
  • 2 Tbs. dried Mexican oregano
  • Toppings
  • Cacique Crema Con Sal
  • Green salsa
  • for the green chile recipe:
  • 9 – tomatillos
  • 6 – guero chiles (yellow chiles)
  • 8 – serrano chiles
  • 7 – jalapeno chiles
  • 5 – garlic cloves (browned/fried)
  • 2 – cups of water (from water chiles boiled in)
  • 1 – teaspoon of vinegar
  • 2 – teaspoons vegetable bouillon (I use Knorr)
  • 1 – teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 – teaspoon black pepper
  • for blistered tomatoes:
  • 1 1/2 – tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 – pint cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
  • 1 – tablespoon Lawry’s seasoning salt plus 1 teaspoon
  • 1 – tablespoon black pepper plus 1 teaspoon

HOW TO MAKE IT:

  1. Place corn husks in a large basin of hot water. I usually use my kitchen sink or a big pot. Allow to soak in hot water for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight to soften. Leave in water until ready to assemble.
  2. Prepare the filling by cutting the Cacique Oaxaca and Queso Quesadilla cheese into strips, peeling and cutting the potatoes, placing the jalapenos in a bowl, and blister the tomatoes. Set to the side until ready to use.
  3. How to make the masa: Place vegetable shortening, salt and baking powder in a stand-up mixer and beat until fluffy for about 4 minutes. Scrape mixture down with a rubber spatula. Then slowly add in masa harina and oregano with mixer on low. Mix until fully combined. Then turn the speed up on the mixer to high and beat for about 2 additional minutes. Turn mixer speed back to low and pour in 2 cups of warm water into mixture. Mix until combined. Once combined slowly add in green salsa and continue mixing until combined. Now for a final time bring the mixer speed back up to high and beat for 5 minutes. Our masa is ready.
  4. Remove corn husks from water and allow to drain in a strainer. Select the largest husks at least 6 inches wide. Set to the side for assembling. With small husks tear into strips to use to tie tamales.
  5. Place corn husk on work surface. Take about ¼ cup of masa and spread on the center of a corn husk. Leave a 2 inch frame on the bottom of husk. Place a strip of Cacique Qaxaca and Queso Quesadilla in the center of masa, then top with a raw potato wedge (potato will cook during steaming process), a jalapeno strip and a teaspoon of blistered tomatoes.
  6. Fold one long side of husk over the center, then roll to enclose all the masa. Fold the bottom end up and secure with a strip of husk to tie closed. Place tamale in a bowl while you prepare the remaining tamales. Open end up so none of the ingredients fall out.
  7. Prepare steamer by placing a rack at the bottom of the pot. And pouring in water. Make sure the water does not touch the rack. Stand the tamales (open end up, folded bottom down) in steamer. Secure empty spaces with wadded husks to prevent tamales from falling over. Then cover the top with remaining corn husks creating a little hut over the tamales. Then place a few wet then kitchen towels over the husks to really lock in the moisture.
  8. Place a lid tightly on the steamer and bring the water to a boil over a high heat. Steam for 2 hours. Remove lid after one hour into steaming and add more water if needed, then place lid tightly back onto steamer and continue steaming for 2 hours total.
  9. After 2 hours, carefully remove a single tamal to check if fully cooked. Allow tamal to cool for 10 minutes, if fully cooked masa will pull away from husk easily. If not, cook for an additional 15 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove tamales from husks and drizzle top Cacique’s crema con sal, and green salsa.
  10. For the green chile recipe: Fill two pots halfway with water and place over a medium high flame. Bring water to a boil. Then put tomatillos in one pot and in the other put all chiles. Boil tomatillos for 15 minutes, you will know they are ready when they go from light green to a greenish yellow color. Remove from flame and set to the side. Boil chiles for 30 minutes or until soft and a bit limp. While chiles are boiling place garlic cloves in a frying pan with a little oil and fry till browned. Set to the side. Once chiles are boiled remove from flame but DO NOT discard water…you will need it to blend chile. You will have to work in batches. In a blender add chiles (discard stem), browned garlic cloves, water from the pot the chiles boiled in, vinegar, vegetable bouillon, oregano, black pepper and tomatillos. Blend until smooth about 1 minute. Pour into a bowl. Set to the side.
  11. For blistered tomatoes: In a frying pan, pour in olive oil over a medium high flame and allow oil to get really hot, then toss in cherry tomatoes with 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Saute on each side for 4 minutes. Then take off flame and set to the side.