3618. BACON JALAPENO and MONTEREY JACK TAMALE BITES

makes 45 tamale bites 


7 slices hardwood smoked bacon
3 scallions, bottom 1 inch removed, sliced thin
2-3 jalapenos, seeded and diced fine
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
small handful cilantro, chopped
1½ cups monterey jack cheese
1½ cups masa harina (also called golden corn flour)
1 cup chicken broth, heated
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
vegetable spray

In a large skillet, fry the bacon until cooked but not crispy, Remove to a paper towel lined plate, blot excess grease, and chop.

Drain the bacon grease from the pan, return to the heat, add the jalapeno, scallions, and tomatoes and saute for about 5 minutes or until the onions are just beginning to soften. Add the bacon and cilantro and cook for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

While the filling is cooling, prepare the tamale base. In a medium bowl combine masa harina, vegetable shortening, and HEATED chicken broth. Stir until mixture resembles large crumbs, then form into dough using your hands.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray two mini muffin pans (if you have two, otherwise you will be making one full batch, and then another small batch) with vegetable spray. Press a thin layer of maza dough into the bottom and up the sides of each well, pushing up and removing excess from the top.

Put an equal amount of filling into each lined well. Bake for 12 minutes, top each tamale bite with cheese, and return to the oven for 5 minutes more. Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing, and serve warm.


bacon recipe source: Bernadette, Rants From My Crazy Kitchen, January 27, 2014

3467. SWEET POTATO TAMALES with BACON

makes about 25 appetizer-size tamales


4 pounds sweet potatoes
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
6-8 pieces of bacon
2 1/4 cups masa harina
1/2 cup melted butter or lard (or reserved bacon fat)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup golden raisins
Salt and pepper to taste
About 30 dried corn husks for wrapping tamales

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Place corn husks in a bowl and cover with warm water to soften them.

Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Melt the 4 tablespoons butter. Stir 4 tablespoons (half) of the brown sugar into the melted butter. Stir in the cinnamon (optional).

Place the sweet potato halves on the baking sheet with the cut sides facing upwards. Brush the cut halves of the sweet potatoes with the melter butter and sugar mixture.

Bake sweet potatoes until they are very soft when pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from the oven and let cool.

While the potatoes are baking, cook the bacon: Place the bacon slices (working in batches if necessary) in a heavy skillet and heat over medium heat. Cook until bacon is browned and crispy, turning at least once. Drain bacon slices on paper towels, then finely chop.

Pour excess bacon fat out of the skillet and strain into a heat proof glass or bowl. Reserve bacon fat for tamale dough, if desired. (I prefer to use butter because the bacon fat gives a lot of bacon flavor).

Slice the onion into thin slices and add to the skillet with a bit of the bacon fat. Cook onions over slowly over low heat, until they are browned and sweet. Remove onions to a bowl, and stir in the raisins and the chopped bacon.

Prepare the masa: Add the masa harina to a large bowl. Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the inside of the potatoes (discarding the skins) and add to the bowl. Mix well with a potato masher. Add the melted butter or lard (or reserved bacon fat) and the chicken stock, mixing well. Stir in the remaining brown sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Drain the corn husks and pat dry. Tear a few of the corn husks lengthwise into strips.

Place a corn husk down on a flat surface. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of the masa into a 2 1/2 inch square in the middle of the corn husk. Add some of the onion mixture to the middle of the masa. Fold the sides of the corn husk in slightly to close the filling over the onions, then unfold them. Fold the pointed end of the husk up over the filling. Fold in the sides, one over the other. Tie at the top with a strip of corn husk. Repeat until masa and/or filling run out (I can never manage to use them up equally).

Place a steaming basket or colander inside of a large pot. Fill the colander with the tamales. Fill the pot with water, keeping the water level below the tamales. Cover the tamales with a towel and then the pot lid. Heat the water to boiling, and steam the tamales for 45 minutes to an hour. Check the water level from time to time and add more water as needed.

Let tamales cool for 10 minutes or so before serving. Tamales can be reheated in the microwave, or briefly re-steamed.


bacon recipe source: Marian Blazes, South American Food Expert, South American Food/About.com

3365. ROASTED CHILE, CHEESE, and BACON MINI-TAMALE PIES

yields 12 mini tamale pies 

Filling:

 

7 strips thick sliced peppered bacon1 small onion, chopped
1 roma tomato, chopped
2 to 3 roasted and peeled Anaheim chiles, diced
Handful cilantro, chopped

Tamale Masa:
1 1/2 cups masa harina
1 chicken bouillon cube, dissolved in 1 cup hot water
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

Toppings:
1 ½ cups Quesadilla or Monterey Jack cheese 

Make filling: Chop bacon into ½-inch pieces and fry in a large skillet until cooked but not crispy; drain and set aside. Discard the drippings. In the same skillet used for cooking the bacon, sauté the onion and tomato about 5 to 7 minutes. Add cooked bacon, diced chiles, and cilantro and stir together. Simmer for a few minutes allowing the flavors to come together. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Make tamale masa: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well with your hands until combined. The dough should hold together when squeezed in your hand.

Assemble: Lightly spray a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray. Divide the masa evenly among the wells of a muffin pan (about 2 tablespoons per well). Using your fingers, press the masa evenly into a thin layer on the bottom and up the sides of each well. The mixture may feel dry to the touch. Evenly divide the bacon and green chile filling among the masa-lined wells. Bake on middle rack for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and evenly sprinkle the shredded cheese over the filling. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Run a small knife around the perimeter of each well to loosen and remove the pies. Serve warm or at room temperature.


bacon recipe source: Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, Muy Bueno Cookbook, January 17, 2013

2502. CORNBREAD TAMALE BITES with JALAPENO, CHEESE and BACON

12 dried corn husks
1 package cream cheese
4 jalapenos, roast then remove seeds
3 scallion chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/3 cup cooked crumbled bacon

Cornbread mixture:
1 package jiffy corn bread mix
1 egg
1/3 cup milk

Prepare corn husks by soaking them in warm water so they are pliable. Cut corn husks into 4 inch squares, then place them into a cupcake pan. Mix cornbread mix with egg and milk, add 2 tablespoons into each compartment. Mix cream cheese with diced jalapenos, scallions and cheese. Place 2 tablespoons of cream cheese mixture on top of cornbread mixture, then top with bacon. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Diane Schmidt, Created by Diane, October 24, 2011

707. TAMALES GISU

Red tamale:
1/3 c achote seeds
1/2 lb smoky bacon, chopped
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 head garlic, minced
3-4 thai bird or other hot chili peppers, finely minced or ground in a mortar and pestle
1 tbsp salt
1 c white cornmeal or grits, toasted
1 c cornstarch
2-3 c chicken broth, made from stewing chicken simmered with garlic and onion in water, with the cooked, finely shredded chicken meat added in

Soak achote seeds in 1 c of water until colour has been extracted, usually overnight. discard the seeds. Sautée the bacon, garlic, and onion until transparent. Add the achote water. Add the chili peppers, salt, black pepper and a cup or two of chicken stock. Bring to a full boil and slowly stir in the cornmeal until a thick paste has been formed, roughly 10 minutes. Dilute cornstarch in 1 to 2 c water. Stir in cornstarch mixture and simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir occasionally.


White tamale:
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 head garlic, minced
1 tbsp salt
1 to 2 c masa harina
2-3 c chicken broth, made from stewing chicken simmered with garlic and onion in water, with the cooked, finely shredded chicken meat added in

Sautée the garlic and onion until transparent. add salt and a cup or two of chicken stock. bring to a full boil and slowly stir in the masa harina until a soft paste has been formed. Remove from heat. Cool both mixtures.

Assembly:

Wrap a couple tablespoonfuls of red tamale mixture next to a couple tablespoonfuls of white tamale mixture in a banana leaf or foil. secure well, then steam until cooked.


courtesy of: the scent of green bananas: food from the guambat