[CH] Huasteco 2

Jim Weller (Jim.Weller@salata.com)
13 Nov 00 10:49:19 -0800 

 -=> Quoting "Jesse ]CH[ Guadiana" to All <=-

 >> a hot dish called Pollo Hausteco.  Any recipes for that out there?

 "]G> In case you are searching the web or recipe archives, spell it "Pollo
 "]G> Huasteco."

Thank you for that tip.

With the proper spelling in hand, I came up with this tamale recipe.

I wonder if Mark's restaurant dish was a tamale or some other chicken
and serrano dish.

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     Title: Tamal Chilpan
Categories: chilies, mexican, chicken
  Servings: 4

           Prepared masa
      1 lb shredded chicken
     20    pieces of banana leave, cut
           into 8-inch squares, washed,
           dried and
           softened as you would a
           tortilla by heating on a
           griddle 
      4 c  chile huasteco
           Prepared masa
      2 lb masa
      1 c  vegetable shortening, melted
           and slightly cooled
      1 ts baking soda
      1 TB salt
      1 c  chile huasteco
           Chile Huasteco
      3    ancho chiles
      2    chino chiles*
      2    garlic cloves
      1 ts cumin
    1/2    onion

Edgardo Contreras freely admits he owes his cooking secrets to his
mother. One of four guest chefs demonstrating a recipe Saturday or
Sunday at the Indio International Tamale Festival, he owns and cooks at
Edgardo's Cafe Veracruz in Palm Springs.

As the kitchen is the heart of the home, tamales are the heart of
cooking in the Mayan region of Mexico where he was born. "My mother told
me there are three very important ingredients in tamales," Contreras
says, "your heart, your hands and ingredients from the earth."

Ingredients for Edgardo's tamales come from near and far. Masa is
specially ground in Cathedral City, banana leaves come from a produce
market in Los Angeles and the chiles grow in Mexico.

Edgardo's typically serves five types of tamales, but during the
holidays will add several types of desert tamales with pineapple, mangos
or citrus.

Instructions: Combine all ingredients together with hands until smooth
and mixed. Cook over medium heat until soft, just about the boiling
point.

Chile Huasteco


Instructions: Cook chiles in saucepan in enough water to cover until
soft. In food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth.

* These very hot chiles are not easily found in the United States. You
can substitute any chile.

To compile tamales:

Spread about 2 tablespoons of the masa mix around center of each banana
leaf. Top with about 2 tablespoons of chicken. Top with about two
tablespoons of chile huasteco. Fold over two sides of leaf, covering the
filling. Then fold over other two sides to form a rectangular package.
Steam for one hour. Makes 20 tamales.


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