Idaho® Potato and Pork Tamal de Cazuela (Tamale Casserole)
Ingredients:
- 2 medium Idaho® Yukon Gold potatoes, rinsed and dried
- 3 pounds boneless pork sirloin tip roast, cut in cubes
- 2 teaspoons salt, separated
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3 tomatillos, rinsed
- ¼ onion, roughly chopped
- 1 roasted Poblano chile, seeds and veins removed, chopped into strips
- 3 garlic cloves
- 15 cilantro sprigs, rinsed
- 1 Serrano chile, rinsed and top removed
- 3 cups corn flour (masa harina)
- 1/3 cup pork lard, melted
- 2 banana leaves cut to 24”x13” rectangles
- red salsa for topping
Directions:
- In a stock pot, place potatoes and enough water to cover them. Boil for 15 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from heat, remove from water and let cool. Cut in ½” cubes.
- Season pork meat with salt and pepper. Place in a separate stock pot with 5 cups of water. Boil until meat is tender. Remove from heat, drain pork meat but reserve water.
- Heat 4 cups water over medium heat. Add tomatillos, onion, and garlic. Bring to a boil until tomatillos are tender and darken in color.
- Place boiled tomatillos, onion, garlic, cilantro and ½ teaspoon salt and 1 cup from the water vegetables were boiled in a blender. Blend until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine pork meat, potatoes, green salsa and chile strips. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine 2 cups corn flour, lard, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ cup water used to boil pork meat. Mold dough with hands into a smooth paste. If necessary, add water by the tablespoon until masa unsticks from hands.
- Preheat oven to 350° F
- Gently pass the two banana leaves over an open flame to make them malleable. The leaves will darken their green color slightly.
- In a 2” deep, 9” round casserole dish with lid, line the bottom with two banana leaves in a cross formation.
- Spread a layer of masa on banana leaves, then a layer of potato/pork/green salsa mixture. Approximately 1 ½ cup, top with another layer of masa.
- Fold banana leaves in, closing flaps over layered masa. Cover with a sheet of aluminum foil then cover with casserole dish lid.
- Place in oven for approximately 30 minutes or until masa has cooked thoroughly.
- Remove from oven, let cool for 10 minutes, serve and top with red salsa.
