Conch Tamales With Jalapeño-Cheese Pesto
Serves: 5
Callie Medhurst
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
54
Spice
45
Sweetness
47
Sourness
38
mins
Prep time (avg)
4.8
Difficulty
Ingredients:
1 cup
Olive Oil4 cloves
Garlic (minced)1 tbsp
Ground Turmeric1 cup
Virgin Olive Oil (extra)3 tbsps
Tomato Paste1 cup
Yellow Cornmeal (fine)1 cup
Cornstarch2 tbsps
Sugar450 g
Olive (whole mixed)1 bunch
Parsley (fresh, chopped)Directions:
1
Refrigerate
2
To prepare the pesto, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan or skillet and sauté the onion, garlic, and jalapenos over medium heat for 5 minutes
3
Add the turmeric, stir well, and sauté for another 2 minutes
4
Transfer the mixture to a food processor, add the queso blanco, and pulse until smooth
5
Refrigerate
6
To prepare the sofrito, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan or skillet
7
Add the onion, bell peppers, and garlic, and sauté over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently
8
Stir in the tomato paste and remove the pan from the heat
9
Place the corn kernels in a large mixing bowl and stir in the sofrito mixture
10
Add the cornmeal and cornstarch and mix well
11
Place small batches of the corn mixture into a food processor or blender and purée until smooth
12
Return the purée to the mixing bowl and add the sugar and salt
13
With a wooden spoon, fold in the ground conch
14
Lay 2 of the reserved corn husks end to end
15
Place 1/2 cup of the conch filling in a cylinder shape in the middle of the husks
16
Roll up the husks and tie each end with butcher's twine
17
Repeat for the remaining tamales
18
Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil
19
Add the tamales, lower the heat, and keep at a gentle boil for 1 hour
20
Drain, and let the tamales cool slightly
21
Cut the square of cheese into a star (or other) shape and set it on a serving plate
22
Set the warm tamales, still in their leaves, on the cheese
23
Place the chilled pesto on the side, garnish with the parsley and olives, and serve
24
To prepare the pesto, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan or skillet and sauté the onion, garlic, and jalapenos over medium heat for 5 minutes
25
Add the turmeric, stir well, and sauté for another 2 minutes
26
Transfer the mixture to a food processor, add the queso blanco, and pulse until smooth
27
To prepare the sofrito, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan or skillet
28
Add the onion, bell peppers, and garlic, and sauté over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently
29
Stir in the tomato paste and remove the pan from the heat
30
Place the corn kernels in a large mixing bowl and stir in the sofrito mixture
31
Add the cornmeal and cornstarch and mix well
32
Place small batches of the corn mixture into a food processor or blender and purée until smooth
33
Return the purée to the mixing bowl and add the sugar and salt
34
With a wooden spoon, fold in the ground conch
35
Lay 2 of the reserved corn husks end to end
36
Place 1/2 cup of the conch filling in a cylinder shape in the middle of the husks
37
Roll up the husks and tie each end with butcher's twine
38
Repeat for the remaining tamales
39
Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil
40
Add the tamales, lower the heat, and keep at a gentle boil for 1 hour
41
Drain, and let the tamales cool slightly
42
Cut the square of cheese into a star (or other) shape and set it on a serving plate
43
Set the warm tamales, still in their leaves, on the cheese
44
Place the chilled pesto on the side, garnish with the parsley and olives, and serve