A lot of us are having a somewhat non-traditional Thanksgiving - so why not roll with it? Don't know what to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers? These turkey tamales with cranberry salsa are savory, a little spicy, and a little sweet!
Ingredients (makes ~3 dozen tamales)
12 oz of fresh cranberries (or leftover cranberry sauce, see NOTE in step 5)
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
6 jalapeno peppers
3 habanero peppers
1 head of garlic
12 pearl onions
1 lime
1/8 tsp habanero powder (or chili powder)
1/4 tsp cumin
5-6 cups of shredded turkey meat
5 lbs masa dough
Salt to taste
Olive oil
1 package of corn husks
Kitchen Tools
Baking tray
Food processor
Large pot with a deep steamer basket
Instructions
In a large pot or bowl, soak the corn husks in water for at least an hour.
Preheat oven to 375 deg F (convection setting).
De-seed the jalapenos and cut into strips. De-seed habaneros and cut in half. (Though, if you like it spicier, keep the seeds in!) Cut the garlic head and pearl onions in half (leave the skins on!). Place all the vegetables on the baking tray lined with aluminum foil.
Generously cover the vegetables in olive oil (especially the garlic and pearl onions). Sprinkle the vegetables with salt. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes (until garlic is soft enough to mash with a fork).
Meanwhile, in a small pot, combine the cranberries, water, and sugar together and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook until cranberries are soft (~15 minutes). NOTE: Skip this step if you already have cranberry sauce prepared! You'll need ~3 cups of cranberry sauce.
Remove the skins from the onions and garlic. Place the onions and garlic in a food processor, along with the roasted peppers, cranberry sauce, spices (habanero powder and cumin), and 1 tsp salt. Zest and juice the lime into the food processor. Pulse until blended but still chunky.
For each corn husk, add ~1 ice-cream scoop worth of masa. Using your hands, flatten masa to a layer that is approximately 1/2" thick but leave some space at the edges of the husk. Add in some turkey and 1 tbsp of cranberry salsa. Roll the sides up tight to completely cover the fillings and then fold the bottom up.
Place the tamales in the steamer basket as they get made, with the open side up. (+PRO TIP: Place something under the steamer basket to tip it slightly. This will keep the tamales from falling over and unraveling!) Keep adding tamales until the basket is full.
Add 1" water to the pot (only a little is needed, don't want to submerge the tamales!) and bring to a boil. Once boiling, place the steamer basket in and cover with a lid. Steam the tamales for 1 hour.
Unload the cooked tamales, and repeat steps 7-9 until all the tamales are done.
Have a happy Thanksgiving weekend!
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