Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo

Menu:
Chicken & Green Salsa Tamales
Black Beans with Lime
Tres Leches Cake

I have been so excited about cooking Mexican. It was so much fun working with ingredients that were foreign to me. Aubrey and I made the tamales last night since we both had to work today. His turned out the best. :-) I also made the cake yesterday, and the consistency of it is perfect... not too runny, and not too dry. The black beans were really good and had just the perfect amount of heat. I changed the recipe up a little bit. Everything was so good and filling. The recipes for all of these dishes are from MarthaStewart.com.

Chicken & Green Salsa Tamales
This is a recipe that Oscar De La Hoya (famous boxer) shared with Martha Stewart.

Ingredients:
Makes 12

15 large dried corn husks, plus more for cooking
1 cup lard, unsalted butter, or shortening
2 teaspoons coarse salt
3 cups store-bought masa harina
1 3/4 cups homemade or low-sodium store bought chicken stock, heated
3 medium tomatillos, papery skins removed
2 to 3 jalapenos, stems removed
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons cilantro
1/2 small onion
1 extra-large (3/8-ounce) cube chicken-flavored bouillon (such as Knorr)
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
1 russet potato, peeled and cut into twelve 2-by-1/2-inch strips
Mozzarella cheese, cut into twelve 2-by-1/2-inch strips

Directions:
1. Place corn husks into a large heatproof bowl. Pour enough boiling water over the husks to cover. Place a heatproof plate on the husks to keep them submerged. Let soak for 1 hour. Remove, and set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together lard and 2 teaspoons salt on medium speed until combined. Slowly add the masa harina and stock. Continue to beat until well combined and smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
3. Bring a medium pot filled with water to a boil. Add the tomatillos and jalapenos and cook until soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain, and transfer to the jar of a blender along with the garlic, cilantro, onion, and bouillon. Blend until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, adding a little water, if needed.
4. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, add chicken and tomatillo mixture. Simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.
5. Working with the grain, tear 3 corn husks lengthwise into 24 quarter-inch-wide strips. Set aside.
6. Place one of the remaining 12 corn husks on work surface; pat dry. Position corn husk so the small end is parallel to the edge of your work surface. Place 1/4 cup of the masa mixture onto the center, but slightly closer to the bottom, of the corn husk. Spread into a rectangle, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border on the small end and a 1-inch border around the other three sides. Place about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of the masa mixture, followed by a piece of potato and then a piece of cheese. Bring the two long sides of the husk together to enclose the filling. Fold the ends under, tying with 2 of the reserved strips to secure. Repeat process with remaining husks and filling. 7. Fill a tamale steamer, or a stockpot fitted with a steamer insert, with enough water to come just below the level of the steamer. Line the bottom of the steamer insert with a layer or corn husks. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and add tamales so that they stand (upright) in the pot. Cover with damp paper towels. Steam for 1 hour and 15 minutes, adding more water if necessary. To check for doneness, unwrap a tamale. When done, dough will come free from corn husk and feel soft. If dough sticks to corn husk, rewrap, and steam 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes to allow the masa to firm up. They will remain warm for about an hour.

Black Beans with Lime

Ingredients:
Serves 6
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced (I substituted half of a white onion, chopped)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cans (19 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
About 1-2 TBSP cilantro for garnish

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onions, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add beans, chili powder, and 1/4 cup water. Cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with cilantro.

Tres Leches Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup 1 percent milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
7 ounces fat-free sweetened condensed milk
6 ounces fat-free evaporated milk
12 ounces light whipped topping
Fresh fruit such as kiwi, tangerine, and pineapple, for serving (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. With the mixer running, add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate after each addition. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture to mixer, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Pour into prepared baking dish.
Bake until cake is firm to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine condensed and evaporated milks. Poke holes all over the warm cake using a wooden skewer or toothpick. Slowly pour milk mixture evenly into holes. Let cake cool and allow it to absorb liquid, 10 to 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate cake 1 hour.
Remove cake from refrigerator and spread whipped topping over top of cake. Serve with fresh fruit if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.