Tamales de Camaron con Pesto de Jalapeño y Queso

Name: Tamales de Camaron con Pesto de Jalapeño y Queso (Shrimp Tamales with Jalapeño and Cheese Pesto)
Yield: Makes about 24 small or 12 large tamales; Serves 4 to 6
Cuisine: Cuba
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1½ teaspoons minced garlic; 1½ tablespoons diced onion; ¼ pound whole mixed olives (such as kalamata, niçoise, and alphonso); ¼ pound whole mixed olives (such as kalamata, niçoise, and alphonso); ¼ pound whole mixed olives (such as kalamata, niçoise, and alphonso); ¼ pound whole mixed olives (such as kalamata, niçoise, and alphonso); 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, preferably flat-leaf parsley; 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, preferably flat-leaf parsley; ½ pound cooked fresh shrimp, chopped; 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste; ¼ cup cornstarch; 1 tablespoon sugar; ¼ cup harina fina (finely ground yellow cornmeal); ¼ cup harina fina (finely ground yellow cornmeal); 4 cups fresh corn kernels (from 7 or 8 ears), husks reserved; or 1 (16-ounce) package frozen corn kernels and 1 (8-ounce) package dried corn husks; 4 cups fresh corn kernels (from 7 or 8 ears), husks reserved; or 1 (16-ounce) package frozen corn kernels and 1 (8-ounce) package dried corn husks; 1½ tablespoons tomato paste; 4 cups fresh corn kernels (from 7 or 8 ears), husks reserved; or 1 (16-ounce) package frozen corn kernels and 1 (8-ounce) package dried corn husks; ½ cup finely diced green bell pepper; 1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves); ½ cup finely diced onion; ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper; 4 ounces queso blanco or Muenster cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks; 4 ounces queso blanco or Muenster cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks; 1 jalapeño chile, seeded and sliced; 1½ teaspoons ground turmeric

Shrimp Tamales with Jalapeño and Cheese Pesto

Preparation info

Makes about 24 small or 12 large tamales; Serves
4 to 6

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Eating Cuban

By Beverly Cox and Martin Jacobs

Published 2006

About

Mark Miller of the Coyote Café in Santa Fe, New Mexico, calls his friend and fellow chef Douglas Rodriguez “the Mambo King of Nuevo Latino cooking.” In this recipe he skillfully blends a Cuban-style fresh corn and shrimp tamale with a Mexican-inspired jalapeño and queso blanco pesto.

Ingredients

For the Pesto

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons diced onion
1½

Method

Make the pesto: Heat the oil in a small skillet, add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño, and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the turmeric, stir well, and sauté for another 2 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor with steel knife blade. Add the queso blanco, and pulse until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Make the sofrito: Heat the oil in a large skil