Tamale Bites

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups corn flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/3 cups beef stock
• 2/3 cup vegetable shortening, melted
• 1 lb cooked shredded beef (or lamb or chicken)
• 2 teaspoons corn flour
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leave
• 1 -2 canned chipotle pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup sour cream (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• water
• salt and pepper
• crumbled queso fresco (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 heat a skillet over medium–high heat. add the shredded meat, and following seven ingredients. stir well and add 1 cup of water. bring to a boil and lower heat to simmer. simmer until all the liquid in rendered out--approximately 10 minutes.
• 2 preheat the oven to 350 degrees f.
• 3 meanwhile, mix 2 cups of masa with the baking powder, salt and cumin. add the beef stock and mix to a crumbly consistency. pour in the melted shortening and mix by hand until smooth.
• 4 spray your mini-muffin tins with non-stick spray. roll the masa mixture into small balls—about 2 teaspoons each. place one ball in each muffin cup and press with your fingers—or the back of a rounded measuring spoon—to make little shells.
• 5 once the beef mixture has rendered out the liquid, stir in the sour cream and lime juice. salt and pepper to taste.
• 6 fill each masa shell with beef mixture. bake for 15-20 minutes.
• 7 allow the tamale bites to cool 3-5 minutes before extracting them from the muffin tins. use a small sharp knife to lift one side, then gently lift them out with your fingers.
• 8 garnish with crumbled queso fresco and thyme leaves. serve warm!