Deconstructed Pork Tamales for Face your Fear #SundaySupper

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Pork Tamales Deconstructed @ASpoonfulofLuxe

I’ll never forget my High School Spanish Teacher, Mr. Ochi. A short Japanese man, who wore a suit every day to class, made students tremble in their seats, as he called their name to conjugate the verb “to be,” and had a contagious passion for the Spanish language.

It’s the best language there is, he’d say. The most logical of all languages. And it’s so romantic… as he’d trill his r’s and make even the most basic phrases like “my name is,” “where are you from?” and how are you today,” in Spanish, sound like lines from a love song.

But it wasn’t just the language that intrigued me, (and became my second language) but also the culture. And living in Santa Barbara, I got a pretty accurate taste of it…

Mariachi Bands on Thursdays over Carnitas. Streets filled with colorful confetti for weeks after our yearly Fiesta celebration, and the two women who came by our office every day at lunch selling freshly homemade tamales.

So, this week’s #SundaySupper, hosted by Conni from The Foodie Army Wife, is all about facing your foodie fears, and trying something you’ve never tried before, so my first thought?

Tamalas.

I found all the traditional ingredients, and I spent weeks researching authentic preparation techniques. I even watched Alton Brown’s video on proper tamal (which is singular for tamales) assembly.

But even that, was no match for the tamal.

I pressed, I folded, I steamed… for hours. And hours. And hours. And the result? A sticky, gritty, and don’t even get me started on the flop of a photograph, mess.

So instead of a traditional tamal, today I present you with a more creative approach. Deconstructing the best ingredients from what I’d think of as a Tamales Special Plate- with the tamales and beans on the side into one lovely dish.

Deconstructed Pork Tamales @ASpoonfulofLuxe

I wanted the bottom layer to be in between a soft polenta and a cornmeal crust, and found it to have a consistency very similar to that of a tamal. Next a layer of beans, tomatoes, and corn topped with melted Mexican cheeses. Then the traditional pork, with a few extra spices, and cooked in Mexican beer. And finally an egg on top. Perhaps the most non-traditional part of this deconstruction, but it sounded good, so I went with it.

The result?

One of the best Mexican dishes I’ve ever had.

Final thoughts on this experience?

Round 2 was so flavorful and far less time consuming. And while I might try to make tamales again, it would only be with someone who knows what they’re doing. And only for a special occasion, like the Christmas Eve tradition.

Deconstructed Pork Tamales

For the pork:

Pork butt (mine was bone-in and around 6 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon coriander seed
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
12 ounces Mexican beer
12 ounces water
1/2 cup orange juice
1 onion, cut into chunks

Trim pork of fat layer and place in crock pot. Sprinkle on spices and rub into meat. Add in the bay leafs, thyme, beer, water and orange juice. Place onions around sides. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or until meat is tender. Remove pork and shred.

For the cornmeal:

2-1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil
1 can creamed corn
1 cup cornmeal (I used yellow plain cornmeal by House Autry)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Bring water, salt, oil and creamed corn to a boil. Reduce heat to low and slowly stir in cornmeal. Continue to stir for about 10 minutes until cooked through and thickened. Remove pan from heat, cover and let sit for about 5 minutes. Stir in fresh cilantro, and spread in a greased rimmed cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until lightly brown. It will still be soft, kind of in between a soft polenta and a cornmeal crust.

For the beans:

1 can diced tomatoes (I used the kind with seasoning. If not, add some dried basil, rosemary, or whatever seasonings you like)
1 can black beans, drained well
1 can pinto beans, drained well
1 small red onion, diced
1 can corn, drained
1/2 small can chopped green chilies (use more if you want more heat- I used a bit less!)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded Mexican style cheese

Mix all ingredients together besides the cheese in a greased 9×9 pan. Top with cheese and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is melted.

Optional garnishes:

A fried egg
Green onions, chopped

To assemble: Cut a square of the cornmeal base. Top with beans and cheese, then pork, the fried egg and garnish with green onions.

Source: dianadarling.net (defunct blog)