Recently in Serving Tamales Category

By the time March blows in, unable to stand even one more blustery day, I'm anxiously counting down the days to that magical second Sunday when I can spring forward and begin connecting with the outdoors again - minus the layers and layers of survival clothes.

Which is why I was happy to come across this 2006 Los Angeles Times article on corn husk cooking, Wrapped up in Summer, by Regina Schrambling. The author talks about her journey while working on a book about 12 different ways to cook halibut; if recipe # 9, was her detour, then #10 was her victory lap. What a perfect find - because for me, nothing says sunshine better than corn with all its warm weather possibilities.

You can read the piece in its entirety, or cut straight to the heart of the article that gave me that much needed glimpse of the essence of summer.

!Buen Provecho!

Wrapped up in summer
By Regina Schrambling

FOR an ill-fated book, I once had to come up with 12 ways to cook halibut and was feeling a little desperate after grilled, baked, broiled, poached, beer-battered, nut-crusted and even planked. Shucking corn for the ninth recipe, a chowder, I found the perfect raw material for No. 10.

Thinking back on the green corn tamales of my salad days, I realized I could wrap fillets in the bright green husks and steam them; the ineffable corn flavor would infuse the very mild fish while keeping the meat - which can go so dry so fast - almost impossibly juicy.
The husks did all that and more. Unfolding them at the table was like unwrapping a very fragrant gift. And when fresh corn, jalapenos, cilantro and butter were tucked into the husks on a second attempt, the payoff was even richer.

Green corn tamales, made from fresh corn rather than dried masa and steamed in the fresh husks, will always taste like the essence of summer to me. I got addicted in college in Tucson, where we waited all year for the signs announcing their arrival in Mexican restaurants. These delicate little parcels are airy rather than dense and, even blended so heavily with cheese, butter and green chiles, just packed with corn taste from the inside out.

The "dough" - the untraditional way I like it - is very light and fragile and steams up soft, like a spicy corn pudding. You can serve green corn tamales as a vegetarian main course or make them a rich side dish or even a knife-and-fork appetizer.

Green corn tamales

Total time: About 2 hours
Servings: 12 tamales
Note: This is adapted from "Mesa Mexicana" by Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, with Helene Siegel. Recipe can be doubled easily, if desired.

5 ears corn
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grits (not quick-cooking)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup roasted, peeled, seeded and diced Anaheim chiles, or 1 (4.5-ounce) can, drained well, rinsed and dried
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack, lightly packed
Salsa and sour cream for garnish

1. Remove the corn husks by cutting off both ends of the cobs, then peeling off the husks while trying to keep them whole. Scrape off the silk. Place the husks in a large bowl and cover them with warm water and let stand 15 minutes.

2. Working over a bowl, run the tip of a sharp knife down the center of each row of kernels on each cob, then scrape with the dull side of the knife to remove the kernels.

3. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the corn and its juices, the salt, the pepper and the cream, and simmer until the mixture thickens, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool, then stir in the grits, baking powder, chiles and cheese. Chill 15 minutes.

4. Drain the corn husks and dry them on paper towels. Make ties for the tamales by tearing a few husks into thin strips.

5. Overlap 2 or 3 husks on a work surface and spoon 3 tablespoons of the filling into the center. Fold or roll into a package and tie each end with a strip of corn husk. Repeat with the remaining filling.

6. In a steamer or a pot fitted with a steamer rack, make a bed for the tamales with the remaining husks. Add the tamales. Cover and steam over low heat for 1 hour, adding more water as necessary.

7. Remove the tamales from the steamer and cool for 10 minutes. Serve them in the husks with salsa and sour cream.

Each tamal with 1 teaspoon salsa and 1 teaspoon sour cream: 103 calories; 3 grams protein; 12 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 6 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 16 mg. cholesterol; 102 mg. sodium.

Archive for Wednesday, August 23, 2006
August 23, 2006 in print edition F-3