Directions

Stew Chicken Instructions:

1. Season chicken with salt, black pepper and achiote/recado powder (substitute paprika) on both sides. Sear chicken pieces in a large dutch oven for 2 mins on each side. Work in batches, do not overcrowd the pan. You want to brown them well for color. Reserve chicken pieces.

2. Add the celery, onion, red bell pepper and garlic to the pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté for a few minutes. Add the flour and stir, then add the chicken stock, stir and scrape all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. The flour will thicken or tighten the liquids. Add all the seasonings, Worcestershire, Pickapeppa, Melinda’s Fire Roasted Garlic and Habanero, herbs and bay leaves, except the achiote paste.

3. Dissolve the achiote paste in a measuring cup with some of the hot liquid from the pot. Add it back to the pot once dissolved through a strainer. Taste for salt and add accordingly.

4. Add in the chicken back to the pot, cover and simmer for 1 hour. You can also place it oven at 350 degrees (better way).

5. Remove the chicken into a pan and piece it into chunks.

6. Drain the liquid from the can of diced tomatoes and add to the stew chicken gravy.

7. You are now ready to make the Col (red tamale filling).

Col (Red tamale filling) Instructions:

1. Place 6 cups of masa harina in a large mixing bowl.

2. Add water and stir until it become a loose slurry. You will need to stir vigorously so you don’t get clumps. This slurry will thicken the stew chicken gravy.

3. Over medium heat, add the slurry to the gravy until it becomes thick but not too gummy. You will not use all the slurry, most but not all.

Tamale corn base (the white) Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, Mix together all the dry ingredients. Take the hot chicken stock and slowly pour into the dry mix. Stir vigorously to avoid clumping.

2. In a large saucier or pot add 1 cup of olive oil and warm it up. You do not want it too hot or it will fry the masa, warm.

3. The add the white mix to the olive oil in the pan and slowly stir and incorporate into the mixture. You will need some muscle here as the stirring can get fairly tough, be careful not to splash any of the oil with stirring. Continue to mix the oil into the white until it starts to look smooth. Once it is smooth, you are ready to make tamales.

Assembling the Tamales:

1. Being organized on this step helps and this is the part where family and friend can help form an assembly line.

2. Place you pan of chicken pieces, a pan of the white (corn base), a pot of the col (red filling) your olives and chickpeas in bowls.

3. Lay a piece of foil flat, dull side up, lay a banana leaf on top, spread a thin portion of the white down as a base (see video), add a few chick peas, olives, chicken, then top with the Col (red filling).

4. Fold up both sides to form a pouch and tamp down. Make a few top folds and then roll up the ends (like a toothpaste tube). Place your tamale in the steamer and repeat until they are all done. See video for assembly instructions.

5. Add to a large stock pot/steamer.

6. Place a rack in the bottom of the stock pot, so the tamales are not in the water. You will stack the tamales into the pot.

7. Add water and steam for 1 hour covered.

8. Remove from heat and allow to sit for another hour.

9. Your Tamales are now ready to enjoy with some delicious Melinda’s Hot Sauce.