Big Ears 2014 Sunday Brunch
Sweet Potato-Prune-Pecan Tamales
yields about 30 filled tamales, plus another 6 or so plain
For the filling
3 cups chopped pecans
3 cups (about 60) prunes, roughly chopped
1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
1 ½ tsp chipotle powder
1 TBSP ground cinnamon
For the dough
24 oz sweet potato, peeled, diced, and boiled until very tender
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
3 TBSP maple syrup
3 ¾ cups warm water
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ tsp salt
1 TBSP baking powder
5 ¼ cup masa harina
To assemble:
corn husks, soaked for about an hour
Heat oven to 400 and toast pecans until darkened and fragrant, about 10 minutes, being careful not to burn. Transfer to a food processor and grind to a minced texture. Meanwhile, mash prunes with spices in a mortar and pestle (alternately, pulse in a food processor).
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine cooked sweet potato, spices, syrup, and oil. Mix well. Add water and mix again. Sift together salt, baking powder, and masa harina. Add to the wet ingredients and mix with the paddle attachment until fluffy and smoothed out a bit. The dough will remain a little sticky.
Assemble tamales using 2-3 TBSP of dough and a generous TBSP of filling for each. Steam for 40-45 minutes.
If desired, serve with maple syrup and our Coconut-Lime Spread.
Coconut-Lime Spread
yields 3/4 cup
1 can coconut milk
1 TBSP natural cane sugar (evaporated cane juice)
1/8 tsp pectin
zest of ½ lime
Simmer coconut milk and sugar until reduced to 3/4 cup, about an hour. Stir in pectin and zest. Cool and chill.
Grapefruit-Jicama Salad with Sweet Citrus-Mint Dressing
2-3 large jicama, cut into matchsticks
4 grapefruit, peeled and segmented
¼ cup + 2 TBSP orange marmalade (bittersweet preferred)
¼ cup + 2 TBSP lime juice
¼ cup apple syrup
finely chopped mint leaves from about 3-4 sprigs, or to taste
Whisk together marmalade, lime juice, syrup, and mint. Pour over jicama and toss well. Add grapefruit and toss gently to distribute.
Lime-Cucumber-Mint Agua Fresca
24 oz cucumber, peeled, seeded, and sliced
1/2 cup lime juice
6 TBSP turbinado
3 cups water
3 sprigs mint
Puree all ingredients except mint. Add mint to a pitcher, pour the agua over it, and chill. Serve over ice.
Ginger-Mango Agua Fresca
20 oz thawed frozen mango
1/4 cup lime juice
2 oz ginger
1/4 cup turbinado
20 oz club soda
Puree all except sparkling water. Strain. Chill the liquefied mango and club soda separately. Add soda just before serving and mix well. Serve over ice.