Not Even Close... But Tasty. The Paradox Tamale

            There is something very cool that happens when my friend Toby and I put our heads together. We cook some pretty bad ass home cooking. Very rarely do we find that we have the  same days off but when it does happen the results are generally pretty damn tasty. Such was the case when I decided that I was going to take on making tamales. I have never made them before and I am absolutely sure that they are not a correct and proper tamale, but man, they were tasty. Bolstered by Toby’s what is the worst that can happen attitude, I drove in and after it was all said and done, and upon the consultation of a friend of mine, I created what I am going to call the paradox tamale. I have created tamale which is inside out but also inside. The sort of Schrödinger’s Cat principle applied to tamale. That reference is for my buddy Matt and my friend Conor who will appreciate it. So here we go with the paradox tamale.

Paradox Tamale to the tune of My Best Friend’s Girl by The Cars

2 ears of fresh corn, save the husks that is what you will be wrapping these bad boys in.

2 jalapeno peppers diced fine

½ lb of pork cubed, whatever cut you like diced. I used shoulder.

1 cup of cornmeal

½ cup of milk

1 tbsp butter

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp of oil

-Shuck your corn, saving the husk for the wrappers (they are traditionally made with dried husks but I am lazy); remove the corn from the cob

-Heat up a skillet add your oil, once it comes up to temperature add your corn, chilies, and pork and cook until the pork is cooked through. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in a bowl.

-In a sauce pan, over medium heat, dump your cornmeal and milk. Stir constantly until you get a cream of wheat texture. Dump that into the bowl of filling with the butter, stir everything together and let cool.

-Lay out your husk plop some filling in the center and then roll them into a cylinder and tie the ends  it should look like a tootsie roll.

-Now either bake in a 350 oven or steam them until they become firm. Bust them open and enjoy. I served them with a guacamole but a fresh tomato salsa would be awesome too.