Unwrapping a Mexican feast
We’ve been in a Mexican kind of mood these days at RICARDO — the warm, sunny weather makes us feel like there’s a fiesta around every corner. Just take a look at our Summer Issue, on newsstands now. We were feeling so inspired that we dedicated a whole feature to realdeal Mexican cuisine. And there’s nothing more authentically Mexican than tamales, which some say date back to 7000 B.C. It’s no wonder — they’re forever delicious. Featuring corn flour dough made with butter and chicken broth and stuffed with a garlicky shrimp filling packed with fresh herbs, tamales are cooked wrapped in corn husks (cleaned and boiled).
The kids will love the process of unwrapping their own little packages at the dinner table, and your guests will be blown away by the presentation. The whole prep takes under an hour — not bad for a classic that dates back millennia. Corn 1. Peel away damaged husk from corn. With a knife, make an incision on the husk from head to tail. Carefully open husk without breaking it. Remove silk. With a sharp knife, cut ear as close as possible to the stem and remove it, being careful to keep the husk intact. Keep corn for another use. 2. In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Remove from heat. Add husks and allow to soak in water for about 25 minutes. Drain and set aside. 3. Preheat grill, setting burners to medium-high. Corn flour dough 4. In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, chili powder and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper. In a food processor or by hand, combine butter with dry ingredients. 5. Add broth and stir until a soft dough forms. Divide dough into 8 portions. Shrimp filling 6. In a skillet over medium high heat, cook onion and garlic in butter and oil until golden brown. Let cool. 7. Add shrimp, oregano, cilantro and salsa. Season with salt and pepper. Assembly 8. With your hands, spread dough on inside of corn husks.
Spoon filling into husks. Close to seal filling. Wrap tamales in the aluminum foil squares, taking care to seal ends. 9. Cook on grill for about 20 minutes, turning them once. 10. Unwrap tamales, serve two per person for a main course or one for an appetizer.