Tamales Wrapped in Swiss Chard
Tamales Wrapped in Swiss Chard
Tamales de AcelgasKatherine Williams and her late husband, Al Williams, owned the once-famous Papagayo Room Mexican restaurant in San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel. Charismatic owner-host Al Williams spent part of his early life in Mexico City and later introduced Americans in San Francisco to authentic Mexican cuisine. The Papagayo Room's elegant surroundings attracted Hollywood stars such as Humphrey Bogart, Marilyn Monroe, and Woody Allen from the 1940s through the 1970s. After the restaurant closed, the Williams' operated Papagayo School of Cooking, where I was inspired and entertained during many memorable classes.After her husband's death, Katherine Williams wrote a book based on their restaurant's recipes. Katherine's tamales wrapped in Swiss chard were new to me then, but I have since enjoyed other versions. Chard leaves are wonderful wrappers and make the whole package edible. I serve them as a separate course with cooked tomato sauce.
Ingrediënten
Makes about 12 tamales
- Basic Shredded Pork
- ½ cup red salsa purchased thick and chunky
- Ranchera Sauce
- Basic Tamale Dough
- 12 large chard leaves rinsed and thick stems removed
Instructies
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
