Sicilian Fig Cookies

Ever since I can remember my dad, aunt and other friends and family gather in early December to make the fig cookies. Usually it is preceded by weeks of my mom suggesting to my dad that he make a 1/2 batch and him stubbornly trudging ahead as planned. The fig cookies aren't something everyone can appreciate, but they seem to be getting better and better each year. The filling is a mixture of dried figs, dates, citron, those other red and green fruit things (whatever they are) that you find in fruit cake, chocolate and other spices. Every year seems to be a new variation based on what is available and what is going through my dad's head at the time.

He usually starts a week or two in advance of cookie day grinding all of the ingredients in a food grinder and letting them sit in the fridge so the flavors can meld. Then on cookie day everyone has their task and the cookies, which would be an enormous job for one, is done in a matter of an hour or two.

I'm not going to bother posting the recipe, but here are some photos of the family at work.


Dad rolling the dough. I apprenticed in the roller position this year.


Franko and Aunt Toni.

Joe. Franko would fill the dough and Toni and Joe would seal it and cut it.


Cookies ready for the oven.


Nana and Ilan dancing while the cookies bake.


Nina icing and sprinkling the warm cookies.


The finished product.

Tamales

A few years ago my sister took a tamle cooking class and gathered my brother and I to make our own tamales. So, for the third year in a row we have made tamales together. It's a lot of work, but so worth it! Here are the favorites...

Tamales with Green Chile and Cheese

Ingredients:

Filling

1 lb Monterey Jack cheese, cut in 2x ¼ inch sticks

4 Pasilla or poblano chiles, roasted, seeded

and sliced

Batter

1 cup lard (Manteca) or vegetable shortening, slightly softened

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 lbs corn masa (4 cups of masa preparada)

1 1/3 cup chicken broth

Corn husks (soaked in warm water for several hours until pliable)

Batter:

With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat the lard with salt and the baking powder until light in texture, about one minute. Continue beating as you add the masa to the lard. Reduce the speed to medium low and add broth. Continue beating for another minute or so, until a half teaspoon dollop of the batter floats in a cup of cold water. Add additional broth if necessary.

Cornhusks:

Lay out a large, lightly dried cornhusk with the tapering end toward you. Spread 3 Tbs of dough into about a 4-inch square, add a stick of cheese along with chilies to the center and pick up the two long sides of the cornhusk and bring them together. Fold up the empty section of the husk along the bottom.

Steaming:

When all of the tamales are in the steamer, cover them with a layer of leftover husks, and fill any open spaces with foil to keep the tamales secure. Set the lid in place and steam over a constant heat for the about one hour. Make sure the water doesn’t boil away, add boiling water to the pot when necessary.

Tamales are done with the husk peels away easily. Let tamales stand in the steamer off heat for a few minutes to firm up.

Makes 3 dozen tamales

Tamales with Black Beans in Banana Leaves

Ingredients:

Filling

½ bunch of cilantro

1 cup chicken broth

2 tsp salt

4 Tbs vegetable oil

2 large onions (chopped)

4 gloves of garlic (minced)

1 tsp oregano

½ tsp cumin

4 15 oz can black beans

Salt and pepper

Batter

1 cup lard (Manteca or shortening)

2 lbs masa (4 cups preparada)

1 1/3 cup chicken broth, cooled

3 lbs Banana leaves

Twine

Banana Leaves:
Unfold the banana leaves and cut off the long, hard sides of the leaves along the central vein. Look for holes or rips, then cut leaves into unbroken 8 inch segments (you will need 36). Either steam the segments for 20 minutes or one at a time, run them over an open flame or hot electric burner until soft and glossy.

Filling:

Heat a medium-large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and heat until barely smoking. Add the onion to the pan and cook until it is translucent and soft. Add the garlic, oregano, cumin and cook for another minute. Add the beans to the pan and simmer until tender. Mash the beans with the remaining broth until they are soft, not soupy. Season with salt to taste.

Batter:

With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat the lard until smooth. Continue beating as you add the masa in three additions or more. In a blender puree the cilantro with 1 cup of broth, then slowly pour it into the masa mixture, beating all the while. Beat in enough additional broth to give the mixture of soft, not runny, batter; it should softly hold its shape in a spoon. Season with salt, about 2 scant teaspoons, depending on the saltiness of the broth.

Forming and Steaming the tamales:

Lay a leaf so the long side is horizontal, and smear a scan ¼ cup of batter into a 4x4 inch rectangle. Spoon about 2 tbs of beans over the batter. Fold the right third of the leaf over the middle third, then fold over the uncovered third of the leaf. Fold the ends in at roughly the point where the batter begins and tie with twine. Lay folded side down into a steamer lined with the remaining banana leaves. Cover and steam over medium heat for 1 to 1 ¼ hours. Let the steamer stand off heat for a few minutes—if the leaves peel off easily, they are done.

Makes 4 dozen tamales

Tamales with Chicken and Red Chiles

Ingredients:

Filling

8 medium dried guajillo chiles, stemmed,

seeded and torn into several pieces

8 garlic cloves

1 tsp black pepper

½ tsp ground cumin

3 lbs chicken breast, boneless and skinless

Salt

Olive oil

Batter

2 ½ cups lard (Manteca)

or vegetable shortening, slightly softened

3 tsp baking powder

4 tsp salt

4 lbs corn masa (8 cups of masa preparada)

2 2/3 cup chicken broth

Corn husks (soaked in warm water for several hours until pliable)

Filling:

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and pan fry until cooked. Shred the chicken. In a blender or food processor combine the chiles, garlic, pepper and cumin. Add 2 cups of chicken stock and blend to a smooth puree. Pour into the saucepan and add the shredded chicken plus 1 teaspoon of salt. Simmer uncovered for one hour stirring regularly—may want to add more liquid if needed. Once the liquids have reduced, remove and cool. I find the flavor is better if you make it the day before and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.

Batter:

With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat the lard with 4 tsp salt and the baking powder until light in texture, about one minute. Continue beating as you add the masa in three additions or more. Reduce the speed to medium low and add 2 cups of broth. Continue beating for another minute or so, until a half teaspoon dollop of the batter floats in a cup of cold water. Add additional broth if necessary.

Cornhusks:

Lay out a large, lightly dried cornhusk with the tapering end toward you. Spread 3 Tbs of dough into about a 4-inch square, spoon the filling down the center and pick up the two long sides of the cornhusk and bring them together. Fold up the empty section of the husk along the bottom.

Steaming:

When all of the tamales are in the steamer, cover them with a layer of leftover husks, and fill any open spaces with foil to keep the tamales secure. Set the lid in place and steam over a constant heat for the about one hour. Make sure the water doesn’t boil away, add boiling water to the pot when necessary.

Tamales are done with the husk peels away easily. Let tamales stand in the steamer off heat for a few minutes to firm up.

Makes 3 dozen tamales