■Lai b: 12' :ai im ICi /* eptember IS marks the J beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month and “el D(a de la Independencia" or Independence Day. During this weekend several Latin American countries —Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua among others—as well as many Hispanic communities in the U.S come alive with the sights and sounds of the celebration of freedom Generations of families gather to celebrate and share their favorite traditional dishes and customs in an age-old cultural experience Although each country has its own unique traditions and foods, they all share similar attitudes the importance of the family gathering, the intricacies and dedication to the preparation of the meal, and the attention to the details of the celebration. Another shared characteristic is the use of com masa in traditional recipes, which date back to pre-Colombian times and have been handed down from generation to generation. When preparing delicious tortillas from scratch, traditional tamales or the incomparable pupusas, today’s generation has the advantage of the availability ol corn masa flour This helps eliminate the difficult task of making the corn masa from scratch So, as ingredients are picked carefully and meats are slow-cooked to perlection, the anticipation builds tor the feast to begin. Today, we can all share these flavortul recipes as old as history, yet still alive and full of ceremony Here they are to enjoy during this Hispanic Heritage Month and throughout the year. Independence never tasted so good! *r*su tyit / In keeping with a desire for lighter fare, these Nicaraguan tamales eliminate the lard and add more vegetables, but the traditional flavors remain. These tamales are wrapped in banana leaves to give a subtle but distinctive flavor to the tamale dough, which is always best when prepared from scratch with high quality com masa flour. One 3 1/2-4 (three and a half to four) pound chicken, cut in quarters 1 tablespoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspwm dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon rosemary 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds For the tamale dough 41/2 cups com masa flour ' 1 teaspoon sattfrjptjoftal) 2 112 cups mashed pdiatdes 5-7 cups water or chicken broth r , ~ ‘ For the filling, t 1 cup cooked jce .; y* 2 ' lafge audi: ” mkrMa m**,,' t 2'. - ‘ltetfidafl ' ■ ViSSW J , can (8 ounces) " ' bOaOir{chici andw^Hclrai 1 • down / Tamal Liviano (Light tamale) To make tamale dough, place the Maseca masa flour, salt and mashed potatoes in the bowl of an electric mixer equipped with a dough hook. Mix masa flour and mashed potatoes. Measure 7 cups of the chicken’s cooking liquid, adding water if necessary. Gradually add the liquid to form a soft, pliable dough. Or place the masa flour and mashed potatoes in a large bowl, gradually add water and mix with a wooden spoon. IXIIII on to a floured counter and knead by band for about 2 minutes. To assemble: 20 banana leaves or aluminum foil Heavy string Pat all and , I, Tamal Azteca (Aztec tamale) This dish is something like a Mexican lasagna, using homemade tortillas for the layers instead of pasta. The filling in between the layers can vary, but nothing can substitute the taste and freshness of homemade tortillas' Use individual cazuelitas or oven proof dishes for a beautiful presentation a 16 homemade 4-mch tortillas made with Maseca 1/4 cup com oil (divided use) 1/2 cup onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped (discard skins) 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons butter 3 small zucchtms, diced 2 cups com kernels, drained 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded 1 cupoemaMexicanaorsourcream 2 roasted Poblano chiles, peeled, stems removed, cut into strips 1 I/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded To make the tortillas, follow the directions on the Maseca package, stack, and cover with a cloth napkin until ready to assemble tamal Heat 2 tablespoons of oil m a skillet and saute the onion until translucent Add garlic, tomato, and salt Cook on low heat for about 10 minutes or until tomato sauce thickens slightly, stirring often Reserve Preheat the oven to 350° F In a small casserole, heat the butter Add zucchini and com, stir to coat Add 2 tablespoons water and simmer for about 10 minutes or until zucchini is tender Reserve In another skillet, heat the rest of the 011 and fry tortillas on both sides To assemble, place a tortilla at the bottom of each cazuehta or individual casserole, moisten with the tomato sauce, and layer chicken, vegetables, crema, chiles and cheese. Repeat layers and finish with a tortilla and a sprinkling of cheese Place the casseroles or dishes on a cookie sheet on the middle rack of the oven and cook until cheese melts, about 15 minutes Yield 4 individual tamales Pupusas Fupusas are a Salvadorian specialty, something like a filled tortilla They are served as a mam dish or snack accompanied by the encurtido, fresh slightly pickled vegetables Pupusa fillings are varied and can be made as hot as you wish by adjusting iano wrapped, ai the amount of hot chile peppers used The essential ingredient of a good pupusa is the masa flour For the dough 4 1/2 cups Maseca Com Masa Hour 1 teaspoon salt 5-6 cups of water For the filling 1 small onion, diced 1 npe tomato, seeded and diced I jalapeno, seeded and stemmed 1/2 pound cooked pork nnd, (chicharron) roughly diced I can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and well drained 1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated For the dough Place the masa flour and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer equipped with a dough hook, gradually add water to form a soft, pliable dough that will not stick to your hands Or place the masa flour in a large bowl, gradually add water and mix with a wooden spoon Turn on to a floured counter and knead by hand for about 2 minutes Lightly cover and allow to rest while making the filling For the filling: Place onion, tomato, jalapeno and chicharrdn in a food processor and pulse until smooth Transfer to a bowl, add drained black beans and grated cheese Stir with wooden spoon to mix well Form 2-inch balls with the masa dough To fill, place the ball m the palm of your hand and make an indentation at the center of the ball Place 1-2 teaspoons of filling in the center and work the edges of the dough to seal The filling should not touch the edges or the dough will not stick to itself Ratten between your hands to form a 1/4-inch thick tortilla Repeat until all dough and filling are used To cook Lightly oil a comal, gnddle, or heavy skillet Cook pupusas on low heat about 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden and slightly puffy Yields 36 pupusas Serve with traditional Salvadorian encurtido Encurtido 1 medium cabbage, thinly shredded 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded 2 medium onions, thinly sliced 1 jalapeno, seeded and stemmed 2 teaspoons dried oregano 2 cups white vinegar 1 teaspoon salt Place all ingredients in a large glass bowl, stir to mix Let stand about 1 hour before serving for flavors to blend Yield 36 pupusas ml Liviano