Women Cooking Recipes

For Filling:
1 ½ pounds fatty pork cut in small chunks-about two inches wide/three inches long
2 whole peeled garlic cloves
1 tablespoon vinegar

For Tamales:
3 cups fresh or frozen corn
¾ cup lard, butter or shortening
2 ½ cups masa harina
2 ½ cups warm chicken broth
Dash or two of Bijol for color
Olive oil for frying
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 green pepper, chopped fine
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 ounces tomato paste
½ cup warm water
½ cup red wine
Juice of one large lemon
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 corn husks soaked in hot water
14 pieces of string

Place meat in large saucepan. Add water to barely cover meat. Add cloves, vinegar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered until water has boiled away. Fry pork in fat until brown. Remove meat, trim excess fat and shred. Grind corn in food processor with fat until coarse, then blend in chicken broth and masa harina. Add dash of Bijol. Fry onions and green peppers in olive oil at medium heat, stir occasionally, until onions are soft. Add minced garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes. Do not drain oil. Mix tomato paste in water. Add paste and wine to vegetables. Simmer for 10 minutes. Places pork, vegetables and ground corn mixture in large cooking pot. Add lemon juice and blend. Add salt and pepper and stir. Cook on low heat, stir until thick.

To Make Tamales:
Overlap two husk and lay flat. Put some corn mixture in center of cornhusks. Fold husks, first the short way, then the long way. Tie with string. Place tamales upright in large pot with two inches of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 90 minutes. Be sure that pot does not run dry. Serve.