Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 chipotle in adobo sauce
4 cloves roasted garlic, mashed

Method

The chipotle cream should have the consistency of loose sour cream. Transfer the sour cream to a blender; add whipping cream, roasted garlic, and chipotle, and then purée to blend. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container.

Roasted Corn Masa

Ingredients

1½ cups masa harina
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup vegetable shortening
¾ cup warm water
1 cup fresh corn kernels, roasted

Method

Combine the masa harina, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add butter and shortening and beat for 3 minutes, or until thoroughly incorporated. Add water and beat for 2 minutes more, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Add roasted corn and beat for 1 minute more. Wrap the masa dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Chicken and Black Bean Filling

Ingredients

¼ cup onions, small diced
4 cloves roasted garlic, mashed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup cooked black beans
1 cup cooked chicken breast or thighs
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
½ cup Monterey jack cheese
14 large dried cornhusks, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes

Method

Grill or roast chicken until done. Slice or chop into small pieces or strips and set aside. Sauté onion and garlic in 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until translucent. Transfer to a blender; add black beans and vinegar, and purée until smooth. Heat remaining oil in a heavy sauté pan over low heat, add the purée and fry, stirring constantly, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the edges of the purée becomes crusty. Fold in the cheese and let cool.

To prepare the tamales:

Sort the cornhusks, going through the husks removing any debris and separating the larger usable pieces from the smaller bits and pieces. Save the smaller ones to use later for ties or patches. Soak 12 or more husks. Place husks into a large bowl. Cover with warm water and let soak until pliable, about 30 minutes. Set a heavy item (like a heavy bowl) on top of the husks to keep them submerged. Remove soaked husks from the water and pat dry. Place into a covered dish or keep covered in plastic to prevent from drying out. Use only the larger and medium-size husks for the tamales. When looking at the husk, they have a narrow end, a broad end, and 2 long sides. When adding the dough, lay a husk on a flat surface. Place 1-2 tablespoons of dough onto the husk. When spreading the dough, leave a space of about 4 inches from the narrow end of the husk and about 2 inches from the other end. Spread the dough to the edge of one of the long sides and 2 inches away from the other long side. Try to keep the dough approximately ¼-inch to ½-inch thick.

Filling

Spread about a tablespoon of the black bean filling down the center of the dough. Place a tablespoon of cooked chicken pieces in the center of the filling. Locate the long side with a 2-inch space with no masa. Fold that over, slightly overlapping the other side so the edges of the dough meet. Wrap the extra husk around the back. Then fold the broad end over the top and then the longer narrow end over the broad end. To tie, create strips of husk by cutting or tearing ¼-inch lengths off of some of the smaller husks. Use these to tie across the middle of the tamale to hold the flaps down. Set tamales upright in a steamer. You can buy large steamers made just for this purpose. You may have something else you can use to create the same effect. The key is to have a small amount of boiling water on the bottom of the pot and a colander or mesh of some sort to keep the tamales away from the water. Steam for about 90 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

To serve: Transfer tamales to serving plates and cut open the top of the wrappers from end to end. Gently push the ends together, as with a baked potato. Drizzle the chipotle cream over and around the tamales.