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! >