RE: [CH] Carnitas Tamales w/ Manchamantel Sauce

Garry Howard (garry@netrelief.com)
Sat, 5 Dec 1998 13:50:40 -0500

Mary-Anne,

Thanks for the tamale recipe. It sounds great. I'll have to try it. I
usually make a batch of tamales around the holidays. Have you ever seen my
tamale page on my website? For anyone interested in making tamales who has
never done it, I have step by step instructions with pictures.

http://mexicancooking.netrelief.com/tamales/default.asp

Garry Howard - Cambridge, MA
garry@netrelief.com
Garry's Home Cooking
http://cooking.netrelief.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-chile-heads@globalgarden.com
> [mailto:owner-chile-heads@globalgarden.com]On Behalf Of
> Shantihhh@aol.com
> Sent: Friday, December 04, 1998 1:56 PM
> To: chile-heads@globalgarden.com
> Subject: [CH] Carnitas Tamales w/ Manchamantel Sauce
>
>
> 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!
>