Entree: Costa Rica – Northern Culinary Region – Tamales (Corn dough parcels filled with seasoned pork and vegetables, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 40 min

Cook 2 hrs

Additional 10 min

Total 2 hrs 45 min

Ingredients

- 4 cups (480 g) masa harina
- 3 to 3 1/2 cups (720 to 840 ml) chicken or pork broth, warm
- 1 cup (240 g) lard or vegetable shortening
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) annatto oil (achote oil) or 1 tsp (2 g) achiote powder dissolved in 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil
- 1 1/2 tsp (9 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp (4 g) ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 lb (680 g) pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces, trimmed of excess fat
- 1 cup (240 ml) orange juice (preferably fresh) or 1/2 cup (120 ml) orange juice + 1/2 cup (120 ml) water for braising
- 1 large onion, diced (about 1 cup / 150 g)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup / 150 g)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup / 130 g)
- 1 cup (185 g) cooked white rice
- 1/2 cup (75 g) frozen peas
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 6 g)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce or 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) ground allspice
- 8 to 10 banana leaves, cleaned and softened over heat, cut to 10x12 inch pieces (no measurement required if using parchment for assembly)
- Kitchen twine for tying

Instructions

1. Season the pork pieces with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, cumin and allspice. In a heavy pot, brown the pork in 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil over medium-high heat, then add the diced onion, garlic and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the orange juice, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 cup (120 ml) broth and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and braise gently until pork is tender, about 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Once cooked, shred or chop the pork into bite-sized pieces and reserve 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the braising liquid.
3. Prepare the masa: in a large bowl, mix masa harina with remaining warm broth, lard, annatto oil and remaining salt and pepper. Beat or mix until the dough is soft, spreadable and slightly airy — it should hold together but be spreadable (adjust with up to 1/4 cup / 60 ml more broth if needed).
4. Fold the cooked rice, carrots, peas and 1 cup (240 g) of the shredded pork into the masa, adding a couple tablespoons of reserved braising liquid for flavor and moisture. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. To assemble, place a 1/3 to 1/2 cup (80 to 120 g) of masa mixture in the center of each banana leaf square, flatten slightly, add 1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 g) of shredded pork, then top with a little more masa to enclose the filling. Fold the banana leaf over to make a tidy packet and tie with kitchen twine. If using parchment, wrap twice and tie.
6. Arrange tamales upright in a large steamer or a tall pot with a rack and enough simmering water to reach just below the tamales. Steam gently for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, checking water level occasionally and topping with hot water as needed.
7. Remove tamales and let rest 10 minutes before unwrapping. Serve hot with pickled vegetables or a lightly spiced salsa.