Chicken ,Green Chile and Cheese Tamales

Filling:

1 lb. chicken breasts bone and skin on

Chicken Stock

4 pasilla peppers, roasted and seeded

1 lb tomatillos, roasted

6 serrano peppers, chopped

1/2 yellow onion , chopped

1 tsp. salt

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

4 garlic cloves

1/2 lb. panela cheese, grated

Poach the chicken breasts in enough chicken stock to just cover chicken breast. Allow to cool and discard skin and bones. Reserve the chicken stock for the sauce.

In a bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine all of the remaining ingredients except the stock and process until smooth. Add stock as needed . Reserve 1/2 cup green sauce for masa. Gently stir together the sauce with the cooled chicken and the cheese. Set aside and make masa.

Masa:

4 pasilla peppers, roasted and seeded

1/2 cup green salsa

Reserved chicken stock 2 1/4 cups, if not enough add either canned stock or water

10 oz lard

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3 1/2 cups instant dried masa harina for tamales

Process pasillas in food processor until smooth . Combine all ingredients in a stand mixer and blend until light and fluffy.

Soak 1- 8oz. package of corn husks in hot water for at least 2 hours or even over night. Once soaked , dry and spread with masa and place a spoonful of filling on top of masa and roll and tie ends. Repeat process until all the tamales are completed. Place in a steamer that has been lined with a piece of foil and then place tamales in layers in pot. If there is any space at the top of pot fill in space with leftover husks and place another piece of foil and place the lid on pot. Bring steamer to boil reduce to simmer for 1 1/4 hours.