Kae’s Tamales

Katherine Ottesen lived in Nayarit for thirty years, and learned the cuisine of Mexico. Perhaps, I’ll live never to see a better cook! When we cooked these, we cook two, or three tiers of tamales, filling the pot.

3 1/2 cups Quaker masa harina

2 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup of lard (Manteca)

Cooked pork or chicken, shredded

Whole black olives, one or two per tamale

Combine masa, warm stock, and salt to taste. In a mix master, beat best lard until light and fluffy, add masa, and beat a long time. A small sample dropped in cold water should float, if not add more lard.

Sauce:

1/8 pound dried Pasilla chilies

1/8 pound dried Ancho (California) chilies 

1 clove garlic

1 medium onion

1 tablespoon lard

1 cup chicken stock

1 teaspoon vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Toast dried chilies on a griddle. Cool. Discard stems, seeds, pithy parts, and wash them. Cover with one cup of cold water, soak two hours. Blend until smooth. Add water to make one cup. Mince onion and sauté in lard until soft. Combine ingredients and cook until thick. Taste for salt.

Fill tamales with masa, meat and one or two olives. Wrap in top quality dried corn husks soaked in warm water and let stand overnight. Tie corn husks with strips of husk. Steam in layers in a covered pot 50 minutes.