Mexican Cheese and Chile Tamales

Prepare the cornhusks: Fill large pot with water; bring to boil over medium-high heat. Remove pot from heat. Add cornhusks; weigh down with heat-proof plate to keep submerged. Soak until husks are pliable, at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours; strain. Set aside 20 large husks (at least 6” across on wider side and 6” long). If necessary, overlap smaller husks to achieve larger length and width.

Prepare the filling: Meanwhile, heat oil in small pot over medium-high heat; add flour. Cook, stirring occasionally, until flour mixture comes together and begins to bubble, about 1 minute. Stir in chicken bouillon mixture and salsa verde. Bring mixture to boil, stirring often, until smooth and thick. Remove pot from heat; add cheese. Stir until melted and combined. Set aside to cool. Set aside jalapeños slices in small bowl.

Prepare the dough: In medium bowl, stir together masarica and hot water. Using hands, knead dough until smooth and soft; cover with damp towel and set aside. In bowl of standing mixer, or in medium mixing bowl using hand mixer, beat lard, baking powder and salt on medium-high speed until lard is light in texture and glossy, scraping down sides of bowl with spatula, about 3 minutes. Add reserved dough in 3 additions, beating to incorporate dough and scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Continue beating until dough is light and fluffy, about 1 minute. (To test texture of dough, drop ½ teaspoon into small bowl filled with cold water. If dough floats, it is ready. If not, continue beating on high speed 1 minute more.) Reduce mixer speed to low. Add chicken broth; mix until completely incorporated (dough will have texture of soft cake batter).

Assemble the tamales: Lay reserved cornhusk horizontally on work surface with wide end to your right and tapered end to your left. Scoop about ¼ cup dough onto center of wide end of husk, and spread with spatula into 4” square. (Dough should come up to right edge of husk with boarders to the top, left and bottom.) Scoop about 1½ tablespoons of cheese filling into center of dough and top with jalapeño strip. Form the tamale: Pick up the two long sides of husk and bring them together (batter will surround filling), then roll in same direction to enclose filling. Finally, fold up the empty bottom section of tamale (leaving top open), and secure flap in place by tying with kitchen twine or strip of leftover cornhusks. Transfer tamale to steamer basket, with open top of tamale pointing up. Repeat with remaining husks, dough and filling to make 20 tamales.

Steam the tamales: Add about 1” water to pot of steamer. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Add steamer basket filled with tamales to steamer (making sure bottom of steamer does not touch water). Cover tamales with leftover cornhusk, then cover pot tightly with steamer lid. Reduce heat to low. Steam, covered, until tamales are cooked-through (husk easily peels away from dough), about 1½ hours. Remove basket from steamer; let tamales sit until firm, about 5 minutes. Unwrap tamale and serve with garnishes, if desired. (Note: to store eaten tamales, wrap individually in foil once cooled and freeze for up to 6 months. To reheat, place frozen, foil-wrapped tamale in 350°F oven and bake until warmed through, about 25 minutes).