Recipe Archive - 22 June 2008

These delicate tamales come from the region of Juchitán, in the southern part of the state of Oaxaca.

Serves 16.

1 8-ounce package corn husks or 1 pound banana leaves, defrosted if frozen
Very hot tap water
1 Pound fresh masa for tamales (masa quebrada) or 1 ¾ cups masa harina
mixed with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons hot water, then allowed to cool
5 Ounces plus 1 tablespoon lard or vegetable shortening
1 Cup broth (approximately) from cooking the meats, cooled
2 Teaspoons salt (add to taste)
6 Guajillo chiles, wiped clean, slit open, stems and seeds removed
2 Garlic cloves, peeled
1 Tablespoon lard or vegetable shortening
8 Ounces tomatoes
1 Medium onion, finely chopped
4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 Peppercorns
2 Cloves
3 Sprigs thyme, finely chopped, or ¼ teaspoon dried
3 Sprigs marjoram, finely chopped, or ¼ teaspoon dried
1 Small bay leaf
¼ Cup raisins or currants
1 Tablespoon capers, rinsed
¼ Cup manzanilla olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 Ripe plantain, peeled and cut into ¼ inch dice
1 Cup cooked, shredded and chopped pork
1 Cup cooked, shredded and chopped flank steak
1 Cup cooked, shredded and chopped chicken breast
3 Hardboiled eggs,peeled and cut in wedges (optional)

Gently open the corn husks and clean out any silk. Put the husks in a bowl and cover with very hot tap water. Let stand at least one hour. For banana leaves: Unfold the banana leaves and cut off the hard sides (where they were attached to the central vein). Cut the leaves into unbroken 12 inch squares, saving smaller sections for patching. Wipe the leaves clean with a damp towel and run them over an open flame or hot griddle until they turn soft and glossy, but do not toast or burn. Set aside.

Beat 5 ounces of the lard or shortening in a mixer at medium speed for 1 minute, until light and fluffy. Continue beating while you add the masa, in small handfulls. Slowly add ½ cup of the cooled broth while beating. Continue adding broth until the mixture is the consistency of a soft (not runny) cake batter. Add salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon)

Heat a griddle to medium hot. Open the chiles and toast them briefly, pressing them flat with a spatula, until they crackle and send up a wisp of smoke, turn and toast the other side. Put them in a bowl and cover with hot water and rehydrate for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the chiles and put in a blender with 2 cloves garlic. Blend to a smooth puree, adding just enough water to keep the blades moving. Push the puree through a medium mesh sieve to remove the bits of skin and seeds. In a small heavy bottomed saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon lard until rippling. Add the puree all at once, it should sizzle and jump, and stir constantly until thickened and noticeably darker, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Roast the tomatoes on a sheet pan under a hot broiler until blackened in spots and soft, about 4 minutes per side. Cool, peel off skin and chop, saving all the juices. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon lard in a large skillet and add the onions, sauté until translucent without browning, Add the chopped garlic and stir for a minute, then add the tomatoes, cook over medium heat until the juices are reduced. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, including ½ cup broth and simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt. Let cool.

Fill a large pot or tamale steamer with 2 inches of water. Place the steamer in the pot lay a few corn or banana leaves on it. Cover and bring to a boil while you fill the tamales. If using cornhusks, remove the husks from the soaking water. Wipe dry. Put 2 husks down on your work surface and overlap the wide ends, with the points facing in two directions. Spread about ½ cup of masa on the center, leaving a ½ inch border on the edges. Spread 3 tablespoon filling down the middle and add 2 teaspoons guajillo puree. Place an egg wedge on the filling, if desired. Now roll one side of the tamal over the filling. Gently roll up and fold the pointed ends in over the seam. For banana leaves, lay a square on the table. Spread a rectangle of masa in the middle. Add the filling, chile puree and egg. Fold one third of the leaf over the masa then the other third. Gently fold the sides over at about where the masa starts. Lay the tamales folded side down in the steamer. Cover with more leaves and tightly cover the pot. Steam for 1 to 1 ¼ hours. Remove a tamal and let sit for a few minutes to check if done. Tamales are done when the leaf or husk peels off easily.



ISSN 1938-7385 Volume 14, Number 12 This Week's Contents 1. Sambusac 2. Cioppino 3. Crispy Noodle Candy 4. Tamales de Cambray 5. Black Gulaman

1. Sambusac submitted by amanda 1/2 pound of cooked garbanzo beans (or 1 can) large bunch of chopped parsley or cilantro 1 onion, diced 2 cloves of diced fresh garlic 1 pound of flour 1/2 pack of active yeast Spices: cumin, corriander, curry powder, salt, hot sauce, etc. to taste The sambusac is very similar to an Indian samosa, and is a 'grandfather' to Latin American empanadas or Portuguese empadas. They are enjoyed as an appetizer or a full meal, and yes, you can eat them with your hands! This recipe makes approximately 12. I'll tell you what you can do : Bread dough: You can use any bread dough recipe, or even buy it prepared in the supermarket. However, I simply mix a little salt, the flour with yeast and warm water. Add enough lukewarm water (about 1.5 cups) to the flour until you can work with it as a pliable dough. Allow it to rest in a warm covered area for 30-60 minutes. Filling: Sauté onions and garlic in a frying pan on medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked garbanzo and spices and mash the ingredients unti you make a paste. Remove from heat and mix in the chopped parsley and salt to taste. Frying: Now, divide the risen dough into about 15 balls. Flatten out each ball into a circle of about 3 inches in diameter. Place large spoonful of the garbanzo mixture in the center of the dough and fold over the sides to form a closed pocket. Fry your simbusak in a generous portion of oil, flipping once to brown each side. Serve as a side dish or main course. It's sooo good! Although chickpeas are the traditional simbusak filling, you can make it tasy with ground meat, or even cheese.

2. Cioppino submitted by amanda 3/4 cup butter 2 medium onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 bunch fresh parsley leaves, minced 2 (14.5-ounce) cans plum tomatoes, undrained and cup up* 2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves 1 1/2 cup dry red or white wine (whichever you prefer) 12 small hard-shell clams in shell 12 mussels in shell 1 1/2 pounds raw extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined** 1 1/2 pounds bay scallops 1 1/2 pounds fish fillets (halibut, cod, or salmon), cut into bite-size chunks 1 1/2 cups flaked Dungeness crab meat Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste * to easily cut up the tomatoes, use a sharp knife and cut through the tomatoes while still in the can. ** To add additional flavor, place the shells of the shrimp in a saucepan and cover with water. Simmer over low heat approximately 7 to 10 minutes. remove from heat and strain the broth; discarding shells. Add shrimp broth to soup broth. In a large soup pot or cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-low heat, melt butter; add onions, garlic, and parsley. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened. Add tomatoes, clam juice, bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano, and red or white wine; bring just to a boil, then reduce heat to love, cover, and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour. If sauce becomes too thick, thin with additional wine or water. NOTE: At this point, stock may be refrigerated, covered, up to 2 days before using. To use stock that has been refrigerated, reheat to boiling and then reduce heat to low, until broth is simmering gently. Scrub clams and mussels with a small stiff brush under cold running water; remove beards from mussels. Discard any open clams or mussels. Cover with cold Salted water; let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir in the clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops, fish fillets, and crab meat. Cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes until clams pop open and shrimp are opaque when cut. NOTE: Do not overcook the seafood (the seafood continues to cook after it is removed from the pan). Remove bay leaves; season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from from heat and ladle broth and seafood into large soup bowls and serve. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

3. Crispy Noodle Candy submitted by sharonfk 1 (6-ounce) package chocolate chips 1 (6-ounce) package butterscotch chips 1 (3-ounce) can chow mein noodles 1 cup broken nuts Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips over hot water, stirring until smooth. Fold in chow mein noodles and nuts. Let mixture cool about 1/2 hour, and then drop clusters onto waxed paper; let set.

4. Tamales de Cambray submitted by rcoen These delicate tamales come from the region of Juchitán, in the southern part of the state of Oaxaca. Serves 16. 1 8-ounce package corn husks or 1 pound banana leaves, defrosted if frozen Very hot tap water 1 Pound fresh masa for tamales (masa quebrada) or 1 ¾ cups masa harina mixed with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons hot water, then allowed to cool 5 Ounces plus 1 tablespoon lard or vegetable shortening 1 Cup broth (approximately) from cooking the meats, cooled 2 Teaspoons salt (add to taste) 6 Guajillo chiles, wiped clean, slit open, stems and seeds removed 2 Garlic cloves, peeled 1 Tablespoon lard or vegetable shortening 8 Ounces tomatoes 1 Medium onion, finely chopped 4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped 3 Peppercorns 2 Cloves 3 Sprigs thyme, finely chopped, or ¼ teaspoon dried 3 Sprigs marjoram, finely chopped, or ¼ teaspoon dried 1 Small bay leaf ¼ Cup raisins or currants 1 Tablespoon capers, rinsed ¼ Cup manzanilla olives, pitted and coarsely chopped 1 Ripe plantain, peeled and cut into ¼ inch dice 1 Cup cooked, shredded and chopped pork 1 Cup cooked, shredded and chopped flank steak 1 Cup cooked, shredded and chopped chicken breast 3 Hardboiled eggs,peeled and cut in wedges (optional) Gently open the corn husks and clean out any silk. Put the husks in a bowl and cover with very hot tap water. Let stand at least one hour. For banana leaves: Unfold the banana leaves and cut off the hard sides (where they were attached to the central vein). Cut the leaves into unbroken 12 inch squares, saving smaller sections for patching. Wipe the leaves clean with a damp towel and run them over an open flame or hot griddle until they turn soft and glossy, but do not toast or burn. Set aside. Beat 5 ounces of the lard or shortening in a mixer at medium speed for 1 minute, until light and fluffy. Continue beating while you add the masa, in small handfulls. Slowly add ½ cup of the cooled broth while beating. Continue adding broth until the mixture is the consistency of a soft (not runny) cake batter. Add salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon) Heat a griddle to medium hot. Open the chiles and toast them briefly, pressing them flat with a spatula, until they crackle and send up a wisp of smoke, turn and toast the other side. Put them in a bowl and cover with hot water and rehydrate for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the chiles and put in a blender with 2 cloves garlic. Blend to a smooth puree, adding just enough water to keep the blades moving. Push the puree through a medium mesh sieve to remove the bits of skin and seeds. In a small heavy bottomed saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon lard until rippling. Add the puree all at once, it should sizzle and jump, and stir constantly until thickened and noticeably darker, about 5 minutes. Set aside. Roast the tomatoes on a sheet pan under a hot broiler until blackened in spots and soft, about 4 minutes per side. Cool, peel off skin and chop, saving all the juices. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon lard in a large skillet and add the onions, sauté until translucent without browning, Add the chopped garlic and stir for a minute, then add the tomatoes, cook over medium heat until the juices are reduced. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, including ½ cup broth and simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt. Let cool. Fill a large pot or tamale steamer with 2 inches of water. Place the steamer in the pot lay a few corn or banana leaves on it. Cover and bring to a boil while you fill the tamales. If using cornhusks, remove the husks from the soaking water. Wipe dry. Put 2 husks down on your work surface and overlap the wide ends, with the points facing in two directions. Spread about ½ cup of masa on the center, leaving a ½ inch border on the edges. Spread 3 tablespoon filling down the middle and add 2 teaspoons guajillo puree. Place an egg wedge on the filling, if desired. Now roll one side of the tamal over the filling. Gently roll up and fold the pointed ends in over the seam. For banana leaves, lay a square on the table. Spread a rectangle of masa in the middle. Add the filling, chile puree and egg. Fold one third of the leaf over the masa then the other third. Gently fold the sides over at about where the masa starts. Lay the tamales folded side down in the steamer. Cover with more leaves and tightly cover the pot. Steam for 1 to 1 ¼ hours. Remove a tamal and let sit for a few minutes to check if done. Tamales are done when the leaf or husk peels off easily.

5. Black Gulaman submitted by philpot Serves 4. 1 can of grass jelly (black) 6 cups of water 4 cups of dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 750 ml cold water To make the arnibal (syrup): Boil six cups of water in a saucepan. When it comes to boil, add four cups of brown sugar. Stir the mixture continously until the sugar dissolved. While stirring, simmer until the mixture thickens. To make the drink: Add about one and a half cup of arnibal into 750ml of cold (in a pitcher). Stir well. Cut grass jelly into small thin cubes and add into the pitcher. Best served cold, without ice. Enjoy.

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