SC - RE: OOP Question about Tamales

[Catherine Deville]

I said:
> > I have several recipes for "enchilada" sauce that I'm going to try to
see
> > which one I like best, but an old friend of mine who once served me
home
> > made tamales (she used to have a tamale night and make a variety at
once)
> > served them with red sauce, green sauce and mole...  the chicken with
mole
> > was to die for, so I'm also looking for a good recipe for mole as well.

and Lord Stefan replied:
> I don't think I would use the enchilada sauce. Around here most of the
> resturantes do not serve any kind of sauce on/with their tamales.

where's "around here" ;-)

most of the restaurants that I've been to here in Atlanta have served
tamales with a sauce on them, usually either a red sauce, similar to
enchilada sauce, a "brown" sauce which I can't identify or a mole.   the
brown sauce seems to be most common and I bet that you're right, it's
probably just a light chili sauce without definable hunks of beef or beens.
They probably make it from the pork broth (most of the tamales around here
seem to be shredded pork.)

i also found the idea of *sweet* tamales very intriguing and have been
having

> I have found that a light chili sauce (sometimes sold as "hot dog" chili)
> works ok. I usually use the meatier canned chili but that often hides the
> tamales. Or I use a nacho cheese sauce. I've also just sprinkled with
> grated or sliced cheese and put them in the microwave oven (after heating
> them in the stove or microwave) for another 45 seconds or so.
>
> I too, would be interested in seeing some mole' sauces.

After your recommendations I think that I shall seek out both... I think
that a light chili sauce would be nice and hadn't really considered it
until you mentioned it.  I also had forgotten that they can be served with
cheese on top.  Would folks like me to share the recipes once I get some
good combinations?  (I'm starting with recipes that I find on the net and
then playing around with them until they are "to taste".)   I can send them
privately if folks wish.

I said (in response to Fra niccolo):
> > thanks for the hints!  I intend to use corn husks for mine, as I can
> > actually taste the difference when served tamales in a restaurant if
> > they've been cooked in the husks and I really prefer the extra corn
taste.

and Lord Stefan replied:
> The only place I've seen paper used was in the cheap canned tamales.

Unfortunately making them in paper seems to be popular in the cheaper
restaurants around here.  I had one make in a corn husk for the first time
a few years back and just went wild over it... it was so much *better* than
what I had had before.  Now we judge a Mexican restaurant on two things...
the quality of their tamales and the quality of their chili rellenos.  I
get the tamales and my lord gets the rellenos and if they both pass then we
put it on our list of "good" Mexican restaurants.  ;-)

Thanks again for everyone's input!  As usual I'm learning a lot!

I remain, in service to Meridies,
Lady Celia des L'archier