Breakfast Tamales - Shrimp Tamales, With Poached Eggs, Red Chile Sauce & Ginger & Cilantro Pesto

This recipe is best when the tamales are made the night before and stored in the fridge overnight. Heat quickly in the microwave (about 1 minute) and serve with 2 eggs, and sauce (as shown) or fresh salsa; your guests will love you for it!

Ingredients:
For the tamales:

• 4 cups masa harina (a dried tamale flour available at most Latin American markets)
• 4 cups of clam juice
• 1 1/3 cups butter
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 package dried corn husks (available at most Latin American markets)

For the filling:

• 1/2 pound small shrimp shelled
• 1 cup pitted olives chopped
• 1/4 cup finely minced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped roasted green chile
• 1/4 cup parmasean cheese
• 1 packet Goya Sazon con Culantro & Achiote
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (or to taste)

Eggs:

• 2 eggs poached

Toppings:
1 cup Red Chile Sauce #2 (Ancho Chile Sauce) and a cup of Ginger & Cilantro Pesto
Directions:

Making the filling:

1. Mix all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and set aside

Preparing the tamale dough:

1. Combine masa harina with clam juice and stir until flour is evenly moistened.
2. Combine butter (softened slightly), salt and baking powder in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at high speed until mixture becomes light and fluffy.
3. Add the masa and clam juice mixture slowly, spoonfull at a time while continuing to beat mixture until each spoonfull is well incorporated.
4. When all the masa has been added , beat an additional 5 minutes on high speed.

Forming Tamales:

1. Soak corn husks in hot water to cover until they are soft and pliable, about 15 minutes.
2. Separate the larger husks, discarding small or torn husks.
3. Lay out two husks with the tops (the narrow part) pointing in opposite directions.
4. Lay one husk inside the other overlapping all but about an inch and a half of the husks - this creates a kind of canoe shape.
5. Spread 4 to 5 tablespoons of masa dough into the middle of the husks forming a 4 inch square of dough in the middle of the husk.
6. Roll out a cylinder of the filling mixture - about 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons and place in the center of the square.
7. Place fingers under the edge of the tamale and fold one side over the over the other so that the masa dough covers the filling, and roll the husk up completly.
8. Fold each end over to the bottom of the tamale and place side down into a bamboo steamer.
9. Repeat, filling steamer to capacity.

Steaming tamales:

I use a Joyce Chen Bamboo Steamer for smaller batches of tamales, each steamer basket (there are 2) holds between 6 and 8 tamales, not to tightly packed in order to let the steam to move freely. I find that the Tamales take about an hour to cook in total. I rotate the baskets, bottom to top, once after 30 minutes.

After the tamales are cooked serve them from the steamer, or make them in advance and reheat quickly in a microwave before serving. Top with 3 tablespoons of Red Chile Sauce #2, and a dollop of Ginger and Cilantro Pesto.