Best Tamales Wrapped In Swiss Chard Recipes

TAMALES IN BANANA LEAVES, OAXACA STYLE

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the mole sauce, tamale dough, and shredded chicken. Keep them at room temperature. Prepare banana leaves. 2. Lay 1 banana leaf square on a flat surface. Spread about 2 tablespoons dough in the center of the leaf. Top with 2 tablespoons chicken and 2 tablespoons sauce. Fold the sides of the leaf, overlapping them, to cover the filling. Fold the top and bottom toward the center to form a square package. Tie with strips of banana leaf. Repeat until all tamales are filled and wrapped. 3. Put about 3 inches of water into a large steamer and drop in a coin. (A rattling coin means there's still water in the pot.) Line a steamer with extra pieces of banana leaf. Stack the tamales, seam side down, on the steamer rack. Cover with a banana leaf or aluminum foil. Tuck a kitchen towel on top and put on the lid. Bring to a boil and steam tamales about 1 hour or until the dough comes easily away from the banana leaf when you test 1 packet. Retie, and serve packets hot. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

TAMALES WRAPPED IN SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the pork. Mix the purchased red salsa with the shredded pork. Prepare the ranchera sauce. Prepare the tamale dough. If made ahead and refrigerated, bring the pork, sauce, and dough to room temperature about 1 hour before using. 2. In a large pot of boiling water, blanch the chard leaves until pliable, 40 seconds. Drain and cool. With a sharp knife, cut out about 2 inches of the thick center rib from each leaf. Cover leaves with a damp towel to keep moist. 3. Put 1 chard leaf on a flat surface. Put about 2 tablespoons of dough in the center of the leaf and spread into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle. Put about 2 tablespoons shredded pork on the dough. Put 1 more tablespoon of dough on top of the meat, and spread to cover the meat. Fold the leaves overlapping on all sides to make a package. (The blanched leaves are tender and will cling together.) Repeat with remaining chard leaves. 4. Put about 3 inches of water and a coin in the bottom of a large steamer. (A rattling coin means there's still water in the pot.) Line the steamer rack with foil. Arrange the tamales, folded side down. Cover with foil and tuck a kitchen towel over the top. Put on the lid. Bring to a boil and steam tamales about 1 hour, or until the dough is firm and easily pulls away from the leaf. To serve, heat the sauce and spoon about 1 tablespoon of warm sauce on top of each wrapped tamal. These tamales do not freeze well, but can be refrigerated 2 to 3 days and reheated in the steamer. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.