The holidays are a time for family gatherings, traditions and of course, cooking. Now, some families like the traditional holiday dinner and others may change it up from year to year and try new recipes or traditions. Speaking of new recipes, here are some to enhance your Latin cooking and could definitely be a crowd-pleaser.
Roasted Red Pepper Crostini courtesy of Iberia
Ingredients:
1-8 oz. jar of Iberia Roasted Red Peppers
2 cloves of garlic cut in small squares
1Ž2 cup of Iberia Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1Ž4 cup of fresh chopped basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 toasted French baguette cut into slices
Preparation:
Cut the red peppers in small squares; mix with the garlic, Iberia Olive Oil, fresh basil and salt/pepper.
Place the mix on each slice of bread. Easy & delicious!
About this recipe: The Iberia Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made from harvested olives that are processed in Spain and provide rich flavor. Olive oil is good for the heart and longevity and may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the fat in the oil. The Iberia Roasted Red Piminetos are low in fat and have a good source in Vitamin A and C.
Pumpkin-Pie Tamales courtesy of IMUSA
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients:
40 to 60 dried corn husks
7 cups maseca corn flour
3 cups packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 29-ounce cans of pumpkin puree
4 sticks of butter, melted
2 cups of warm milk
2 cups of walnuts, chopped
12 ounces of raisins
2 1Ž2 cups fresh white cheese/queso fresco (optional)
Preparation:
1) Fill a large bowl with warm water and soak corn husks until softened, about 30 minutes.
2) In an extra large bowl add Maseca corn flour and the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix together making sure that all of the clumps are broken up with your fingers. Then add all of the wet ingredients and once again, use your hands to mix the corn flour. Add more water as needed until you achieve the consistency of peanut butter. Fold in the walnuts and raisins.
3) Assemble the tamales by using a rubber spatula to spread 1⁄2 cup to 1 cup of dough mixture onto the corn husk, depending on the size of the corn husk. The spread should cover about two thirds of the husk, away from the pointed end, making sure you leave some space on each side to fold. Gently fold one side of the corn husk to the other end and fold up the pointed end across. Lay each tamale fold-side down. There should be an open end to each tamale.
4) Once the tamales are folded, fill the IMUSA TAMALE STEAMER with water just below the fill line and place the steam tray on the rack. Carefully place each tamale standing up on the steam tray without overloading it and bring water to a simmer. Steam with the lid on for 90 minutes.
5) Remove each tamale with tongs and let rest for a few minutes before serving it as a sweet side-dish or with grated queso fresco. (Makes 40-60 tamales).
About this recipe: The IMUSA Aluminum Steamer—this aluminum vessel allows for steaming of seafood, vegetables and more. It can also be purchased at retail stores like Macy’s.
For more delicious recipes by Iberia Foods visit: www.iberiafoods.com
