Roasted Garlic And Goat Cheese Tamale With Thyme Butter

Directions

1. About 2 hrs before you plan to create the tamales, clean the husks under running water. Soak them in hot water for 2 hrs, or possibly till softened.
2. Puree the corn, onion, roasted garlic, and stock in a food processor. Transfer the mix to a mixing bowl and cut in the butter and shortening.
3. Using your fingers, fold in the cornmeal, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste till there are no visible lumps of fat. Mix in the goat cheese. The mix will be a lot looser than you think it should be, but when the tamales are steamed it will dry out.
4. Remove the corn husks from the water and set aside the best 20 husks. Drain and pat dry. Tear the remaining husks into 1-inch wide strips to be used for tying.
5. Lay 2 husks flat on a work surface with the tapered ends facing out and the broad bases overlapping by about 3 inches. Place about 1/3 c. of masa mix in the center. Bring the long sides up over the masa, slightly overlapping, and pat down to close (If the masa drips out a little at the seam, which is no problem).
6. Tie each end of the bundle with a strip of corn husk, pushing the filling toward the middle as you tie. Trim the ends to about 1/2-inch beyond the tie.
7. Arrange the tamales in a single layer on a steaming rack, cover tightly with foil, and steam over boiling water for 45 min.
8. To serve, slice a slit on top of each tamale and push both ends of the tamale toward the middle to expose the masa. Top with 1 Tbsp. of the Fresh Thyme Butter.
9. Fresh Thyme Butter: Combine the butter, thyme, and salt and pepper, to taste, in a food processor till smooth. Place a sheet of parchment paper or possibly waxed paper on a work surface. Arrange the butter along one long side and form into a roll about 1-inch in diameter, leaving a 1-inch border of paper. Roll up the butter in the paper and chill for at least 30 min.
10. This recipe yields 4 servings.