Soft corn masa, smoky poblano peppers and melting cheese: these tamales are served with fresh salsa verde and a simple black bean salad. Folding them takes a little care, but after that, the steamer does the work.
Tamales de rajas con queso combine masa made from nixtamalized corn with strips of poblano pepper and cheese. Rajas simply means strips of pepper here; the filling is savory and mildly spicy, with soft cheese to balance it out. Poblanos vary in heat, so taste a small piece before deciding how much to use. They’re often easy to find in summer and early fall, but availability and harvests vary from store to store. If you can’t find poblanos, you can use green pointed peppers for a milder, less earthy flavor; roasted green bell pepper isn’t an exact substitute, but it works in the filling.
The corn husks serve as both wrapper and tool: they hold the masa together and let steam circulate around the tamales. Soak them until pliable and place the wide end facing you. Spread the masa in a thin, even layer, leaving space at the sides. A narrow strip of filling down the middle helps keep the cheese from spilling out at the edges. Wide husks are easiest to work with; small or torn husks can be overlapped. Masa harina is nixtamalized corn flour specifically suited to making tamales, and it’s not the same as polenta or regular cornmeal.
The light texture starts with whipping the lard. It incorporates air and helps keep the masa from becoming too dense. Add the broth gradually: the dough should be pliable and easy to spread, but not so wet that it runs off the husk. The masa firms up as it steams. Keep the water below the tamales and top up the pan with hot water as needed to keep the steam going. Let the tamales rest for a little while after steaming; this makes the husks easier to remove. Oaxaca cheese melts beautifully and stretches into strings, but low-moisture mild mozzarella is a useful substitute.
Salsa verde adds acidity and freshness alongside the creamy masa. Tomatillos give the sauce its distinctive tart, fresh flavor; canned ones are convenient when fresh ones aren’t available. The black bean salad adds a hearty, soft bite and rounds out the plate without overpowering the tamales. Serve the salsa on the side so everyone can add as much as they like. Refrigerate leftovers covered within two hours and use them within three to four days. Reheat tamales thoroughly in a steamer; this keeps them from drying out as quickly as reheating without moisture.
Place the corn husks in a large bowl and cover them with hot water. Put a plate on top to keep them submerged and soak for at least 30 minutes, until pliable.
Meanwhile, roast the poblanos under a hot broiler or over a gas flame. Turn them regularly until the skin is blackened all over. Place them in a covered bowl and leave for 10 minutes. Rub off the skin, remove the stems and seeds, and cut the flesh into strips.
Make the salsa verde: put the drained tomatillos and jalapeño in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of water. Simmer gently for 8 minutes. Blend with the white onion, 10 g cilantro, the juice of 1 lime and ¼ tsp salt. Leave to cool.
Whip the lard with a hand mixer for 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy. In a second bowl, combine the masa harina, baking powder and 1 tsp salt. Beat this mixture into the lard in batches, gradually adding the warm broth. Stop when the masa is pliable and spreadable.
Make the bean salad by combining the black beans with the red onion, olive oil, the juice of the second lime, the remaining 5 g cilantro and ¼ tsp salt. Set aside.
Drain the corn husks and pat them dry. Lay a wide husk smooth side up, with the wide end facing you. Spread about 3 tablespoons of masa in an even layer over the middle, leaving a few centimeters clear at the sides and bottom edge. Place some poblano and cheese down the middle. Fold the sides toward each other, then fold the narrow bottom end up. Leave the top open. Repeat with the remaining husks, masa and filling.
Stand the tamales upright in a steamer with the open ends facing up. Cover and steam for 60–70 minutes; make sure the water stays below the rack and top it up with hot water as needed. The tamales are ready when the masa is firm and pulls away from the husk. Let them rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve the tamales warm with the salsa verde and black bean salad.
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