Smoked Cheddar Cheese Tamales

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 
• 0.3 teaspoon baking soda 
• 2 cups vermont cheddar cheese white grated
• 4 cups cheddar cheese smoked grated
• 5 ounces corn husks dried
• 36 servings kosher salt and pepper freshly ground
• 1 tablespoon lime zest grated
• 4 cups chicken broth low-sodium warmed
• 4 cups i would have liked to use an version of masa but i couldn't find one at the time of making the tamal (corn flour)
• 6  poblano chile peppers 
• 1 cup scallions chopped
• 2 teaspoons sea salt 
• 1 cup cup heavy whipping cream sour
• 0.5 cup tomatoes diced
• 4 tablespoons butter unsalted
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
• 1 cup vegetable shortening melted
• 1 cup onion white chopped

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• whisk
• plastic wrap
• roasting pan
• wooden spoon
• aluminum foil
• broiler
• broiler pan
• steamer basket

Directions

1. Put the corn husks in a roasting pan of warm water; soak until softened, about 30 minutes.
2. Whisk the masa harina, baking soda and sea salt in a large bowl. Stir in the chicken broth and lard with a wooden spoon to make a thick dough. (If it seems dry, add a splash of broth.)
3. Let the dough rest 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.
4. Put the poblanos on a foil-lined broiler pan; broil, turning, until charred, about 7 minutes.
5. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside 10 minutes. Peel off the skins, then stem, seed and dice the peppers.
6. Heat the butter and vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat.
7. Add the onion and scallions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
8. Add the poblanos, tomatoes and vinegar, season with kosher salt and pepper, and cook 5 more minutes.
9. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Fold in both cheeses.
10. Remove the corn husks from the water and gently squeeze dry. Tear 4 husks into thin strips to use as ties.
11. Spread a heaping tablespoonful of dough onto the wide end of each remaining husk, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the top and both sides and 3 inches on the tapered end.
12. Spread 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture over the dough, then roll up the tamale into a cigar shape. Fold up the tapered end and tie closed with a strip of husk.
13. Put the tamales upright in a steamer basket set over a few inches of boiling water; steam until the filling is firm, 30 to 40 minutes.
14. Remove the tamales and let rest 10 minutes.
15. Mix the sour cream and lime zest in a small bowl and season with kosher salt. Unwrap the tamales and serve with the lime sour cream.
16. Photograph by Jacob Snavely