Tamales blancos

Best I have ever had - again from Sue Style cooking class in London.

• 10 tablespoons lard or shortening
• 2 cups tortilla flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cup water
• 1 cup stock
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 20 dried corn husks, soaked in warm ater for 30 minutes and drained, or 20 sheets of parchment paper 8 x 6 1/2 inches.

Cream the lard or shortening until light and fluffy. Mix the flours to a dough with the warm water and add the stock. Gradually add this mixture to the creamed fat with the baking powder and salt. Continue beating for a few minutes more until really light and well-mixed: a ball of the dough will float when dropped into a cup of cold water. It should be about the consistency of cake batter.

Place about 2 tablespoonsful of the dough on the bottom end of a soaked corn husk or into the middle of a paper sheet. Fold the sides up and over, and the ends up. Lay face down so they don't unwind themselves while you finish filling the rest. If yu have some spare corn husks, tear a few lengthwise into strips and use the strips to tie around the tamales, to secure them.

Set up steamer: pour in water to a depth of about 1 1/4 inches and bring to a boil. Put in the folded tamales. Cover and steam for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. The tamales are done when, on opening a parcel, the dough comes away cleanly from the husk or paper. makes 20

Mole de guajolote o pollo

I have prepared this in haste as we return from Mexico where we had a mole at the San Isidro Lodge near Cerocahui- so please proofread before you start. As you can see - this is a long process. We are now off to Peru - hope to post a few good recipes when we return.

• 6 1/2 lbs chicken
• 1-2 Tablespoons oil
• 1 carrot, peeled
• 1 onion
• 1 clove garlic
• black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• salt
• 1 Tablespoons sesame seeds for garnish

Dry the chicken pieces well and brown in hot oil in a large, heavy flameproof casserole until golden all over. Drain excess oil. Add water to cover, the carrot, onion, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf and salt to taste and simmer until just tender, 35-40 minutes. Leave to cool in the stock while you prepare the mole sauce.

• 8 chiles anchos
• 4 chiles mulatos
• 2 chiles pasilla
• 6 black peppercorns
• 6 coriander seeds
• 3/4 inch piece cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• pinch of aniseed or fennel seeds
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 3 large tomatoes (about 1 lb.)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 large onion, peeled
• 1/2 cup sultanas (or raisins)
• 2 Tablespoos oil
• 1 cup blanched almonds
• 2 fat slices homemade-tupe bread, cut into cubes
• 2 stale tortillas, cut into strips
• 1/3 cup green, shelled, unsalted pumpkin seeds
• 2 Tablespoons vinegar
• 1 ox semi-sweet chocolate, broken into pieces
• salt

Toast the chillies gently on a griddle or ungreased heavy frying pan until supple and fragrant, pressing down well with the back o f a spatula. Remove the stalks, cut open and scrape out the seeds and tear the chillies in rough pieces. Soak in hot water for a least 20 minutes.
Toast the peppercorns, coriander seeeds, cinnamon, cloves, aniseed or fennel seeds and sesame seeds on the same griddle. Set aside to cool.
Grill the tomatoes, garlic and onion until blistered and nicely toasted. Quarter the tomatoes (don't skin them) and onion. Slip the garlic out of it coat. Set aside
Using a large, wide pan, fry the sultanas (or raisins) until plump in 1 tablespoon of oil, then remove. Fry the almonds, bread cubes, tortilla strips and pumpkin seeds, adding more oil if necessary and tossing andstirring until evenly golden. Be careful with the pumpkin seed: they are apt to explode. Set aside to cool, with the sultanas (raisins).
Drain the chillies, then blend them in a blender or food processor until smooth with half the tomatoes, onion and garlic. Using a large, heavy flameproof casserole into which everything will eventually fit, heat a thin film of oil until nearly smoking. Throw in the chilli puree and fry, stirring until thick and reduced.
In the same blender jar or food processor, blend the remaining tomatoes, onion and garlic with the toasted seeds, spices, sultanas (raisins), almonds, bread and tortillas. Do it in two batches if you can't fit it all in. It should be really smooth - add a little stock from the chicken only if necessary. Add this mixture to the chilli puree in the casserole, mixing well, and continue to cook, stirring, until really thick and pasty. Stir in the vinegar and chocolate pieces, plus enough chicken stock to give a light coating consistency. Season to taste with salt and simmer for a further 30 minutes.
Add the drained chicken pieces to the sauce and simmer for about 20 minutes.
To serve, arrange the chicken pieces on a large serving dish. Coat with the sauce, sprinkle on the sesame seeds and serve with plain tamales. Serves 12

This recipe was from my cooking class in London with Sue Style - She has a mexican cookbook published by Hamlyn - She lived in Mexico City of a number of years before moving to Switzerland.

Vegan Ranch Dressing from The Crossings, Austin Texas

Loved this when I went to the Goddess Bootcamp. They were kind enough to give me the recipe.

• 1 pint Veganaise
• 1 cup soy milk(plain)
• 1/2 tsp agave nectar (or sugar if you can't find agave)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 oz white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dry dill
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 tbsp washed, dried and minced parsley
  
  process in blender
  
  See you next time you come out to The Crossings
  The Crossings
  13500 FM 2769
  Austin, Tx 78726
  telephone: 512.225.1075
  www.thecrossingsaustin.com

Mexican Pecan Candy

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup pecans (or more, to taste)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup browned sugar
  

Cook all ingredients (except the browned sugar); it is necessary to cook the pecans with the sugar and milk to get that flavor found in Mexican pecan candy.For the browned sugar, melt a cup of sugar in a skillet until it is a light brown.Remove the first mixture from the burner and add the browned sugar, stirring constantly. Place back on burner and cook until it forms a soft ball, 234 degrees F. on a candy thermometer.Remove from burner; place pan in a pan of cold water and beat until creamy. Then drop by spoonfuls on waxed paper

New Orleans Pralines

• 1 pound box dark brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2-3 cups pecan halves
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  
  In a saucepan, cook the sugars, salt, and milk until a candy thermometer registers 238 degrees F. or the mixture reaches the soft ball stage. Add the pecans and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the butter and vanilla. Let the mixture cool in the saucepan for 20 minutes. Spread newspapers on a table or countertop and cover the newspapers with wax paper. Beat the mixture slightly, just until glossy ((30 to 45 seconds at the most. Drop by spoonfuls on the wax paper. Let the candy cool on the paper for 15 to 20 minutes. Lift the pralines gently from the wax paper and wrap them individually in wax paper or plastic wrap. Store the pralines in an airtight container. Makes 20-30 (2 Inch) pralines

KOLACHES

• 2 packages dry yeast
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/4 cup plus 1 or 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• melted butter, for topping
• 1 recipe creamy peach, prune, or poppy seed filling (see below)
  

In a small bowl combine the yeast with the lukewarm water. Set the bowl aside.

In a large bowl cream together the butter, shortening, and 1/4 cup sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolks, milk, and salt, combining well. Stir in the dissolved yeast and the flour and mix until the ingredients are thoroughly blended into a soft dough. Cover the dough with a towel and set the dough aside to rise to about double in size, approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

While the dough rises, choose and prepare one of the three fillings. The recipes for the fillings follow these instructions.

Grease a baking sheet. Pinch off pieces of dough about one-and-a-half times the size of a golf ball, flatten the balls slightly, and transfer them to the baking sheet. Place the balls at least 1 inch apart and brush them liberally with the melted butter. Set them aside to double in size again, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

With your thumb, gently indent the top of the dough to the depth of about 1/2 inch. Make the holes deeper for the poppy seed or creamy peach filling. Spoon in a couple of teaspoons of filling, and, with the poppy seed or creamy peach versions, coax the dough over the filling. Let the kolaches rest again for 15 to 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the kolaches for 10 to 12 minutes, until they are golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven, immediately brush the kolaches with more butter, and sprinkle them with the remaining sugar. Transfer them to a rack and let them cool.
The kolaches should be tender, somewhat like a light buttery Danish. They're best eaten the day they're made. Makes 3 dozen kolaches.

Creamy Peach Filling
2 cups small-curd cottage cheese, drained in a sieve or cheesecloth for 30 to 45 minutes
1/2 cup peach butter (you may use cherry butter if you prefer)
1 egg
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Squeeze any accumulated liquid from the cheese. Mix the cheese with the remaining ingredients.

Prune Filling
1 pound dried prunes
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Put the prunes in a saucepan and cover them with water. Add the vanilla and simmer until the prunes have softened, about 15 minutes. Drain and pit the prunes and chop them in a food processor with the sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Or chop the prunes by hand and then add the sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

Poppy seed Filling
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups poppy seeds
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
Stir together the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set the bowl aside.
Grind the poppy seeds in a blender with about half the milk. Place the poppy seed mixture and the remaining milk in a large, heavy saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in the reserved sugar-and-cornstarch mixture and the almond extract. Simmer, stirring often, until very thick, a matter of a few minutes.

Techniques and Tips
Some kolache recipes call for proofing the yeast in milk, but the fat in milk can actually hinder the yeast's development. It's best to proof the yeast in water first and then to add milk later for tenderness.
You can make kolaches with sausage or almost any type of cooked fruit filling. Don't use jelly, though, because it's too runny. The fruit needs to be cooked to fruit-butter consistency.
Make the center depressions carefully so the bread doesn't go flat.
Cover cheese-based fillings, like the creamy peach, and poppy seed fillings totally with dough. Stiffer fillings like prune can peek out the top.
Don't skimp on the amount of butter brushed on the dough.

Sausage Kolaches

• 2 pkg. yeast
• 1 cup mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup potato water
• 1 cup warm water
• 2/3 cup oil
• 2/3 cups milk
• 7-8 cups flour
• butter, melted for brushing on top
  

Dissolve yeast in 1 cup water, potato water. Add sugar, salt, potatoes and eggs; mix well. Add milk and oil, mixing after each addition. Add flour, mixing dough well. Refrigerator for 4 hours or more.
Roll in small circles. Wrap around sausage. Let rise 20 minutes. Brush with butter. Bake at 375 degrees F. until brown. Brush with butter again.