[CH] Carnitas Tamales w/ Manchamantel Sauce
Shantihhh@aol.com
Fri, 4 Dec 1998 13:56:20 EST
Hi all!
Thought I'd share a real favorite recipe of ours. You can kick it up a notch
with your favorite hot sauce or add to the tamales, but the flavor although
mild is wonderful, mellow, smoky and complex as is.
Mary-Anne
Carnitas Tamale
This is my favorite tamales recipe as the marriage of pork and the fruit
in the sauce w/chiles is very nice.
Mary-Anne
Makes: 12 to 18 tamales
1# Carnitas
2 cups masa harina
1 2/3 cups of warm chicken stock
1 1/2 cup soft butter
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. roasted anise seeds
4 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 tsp. Paprika
12 to 16 large dried corn husks,
soaked in hot water until pliable
2 cups Manchamantel Sauce
Make the Carnitas - shredding meat by hand.
Mix the masa harina and stock with whisk
In a large bowl , whisk (I use my kitchen Aid Mixer) the butter, baking
powder, salt, anise, cayenne, and paprika until very light and fluffy. Blend
in the masa in 1/4 cup scoops and continue beating after each. You want this
to be very fluffy and light. Test by taking a tsp. full and dropping into a
glass of water. If it floats-you've got it. If it plunks to the bottom --
keep on beating!!!!!!!!
Divide the masa and Carnitas filling evenly between the corn husks, roll and
tie tamales. Then steam for 30 minutes.
Serve w/Manchamantel sauce
I try to find the extra large clean and nice looking corn husks and I split a
couple of not so perfect ones to use for "strings" to tie
Manchamantel Sauce
1/2 # whole dried Ancho Chiles *available in Hispanic markets
2 quarts of water
1/2 # Roma tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, roasted and peeled
1 3/4 cups diced fresh pineapple
1/2 # ripe bananas
1 large green apple, peeled, cored, and chopped ( Pippin or Granny Smith)
3 tsp. canela (or cinnamon)
1 Tabs. apple cider vinegar
pinch of ground clove
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. salt
1 Tab. sugar
3 tabs peanut oil
* Optional --Sometimes I add a little cayenne to kick it up a notch as it is
very mellow
Remove stems and seeds from chiles. Dry roast the chiles in oven at 250F for
5 to 10 minutes. DO NOT allow then to blacken or they become dreadfully
bitter!
Put the dry roasted chiles in a pan, cover with water and simmer very slowly
for 30 to 40 minutes to allow them to dehydrate. Cool.
Blacken tomatoes under broiler for 4 or 5 minutes.
Put chiles, tomatoes, and the remaining ingredients in food processor and
puree. Add a little liquid if needed. Use the chile water IF it's not
bitter.
Add the oil to a high sided pot and heat until almost smoking. Refry the
sauce and sizzle for 4 to 5 minutes stirring constantly.
Viola - you have a wonderful pot of Manchamantel Sauce.
Carnitas
Carnitas has a wonderful flavor. The unique style of cooking creates a flavor
that cannot be duplicated any other way. This meat is good to make tamales and
is also wonderful in wraps!
2 # pork butt w/fat (fat rules to quote Emeril!)
cut into 1 1/2" cubes
2 cups of water
3 tabs. chile Caribe
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
5 cloves garlic, roasted, peeled, and chopped
(Christopher Ranch makes a good one already prepared that is available at
Trader Joe's)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves
1 tsp. anise seed
1 stick canela (or cinnamon)
1 Tabs. Mexican Oregano
Place pork, water, Chile Caribe, salt, garlic, and onion in a heavy pot.
(COPPER is the best like the one for making candy in)
Bring to a slow simmer
Roast spices and oregano in a dry saucepan over medium heat until fragrant,
you know when you start sneezing!
Add this to the pork and simmer on low for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until tender.
Increase the heat until all liquid is gone. Reduce heat a little and continue
cooking and stirring until the cubes of meat are a rich mahogany brown.
Let the Carnitas cool.
Make tamales!