Huitlacoche Tamales by Nixta's Gustavo Romero

Chef Gustavo Romero cooking
July 13, 2022

After 15 years of cooking other cultures’ foods, Gustavo Romero of Nixta in Minneapolis, Minnesota, wanted to open a full-scale Mexican restaurant. His dream was waylaid when the pandemic hit and he lost his job, but with a few bags of corn and a small tortilla machine, he pivoted: after all, every city deserves a great tortilleria, and his home of Minneapolis didn’t have one.

Recently he began cooking family-style dinners for takeaway, featuring dishes like these tamales made with huitlacoche (a delicious fungus that grows on corn, also known as Mexican truffle) — they’d make perfect party fare. What makes these so special is that they feature corn used in four ways — five if you include the husk! — and that the topping plays on fungus, utilizing sauteed huitlacoche alongside shiitake mushrooms.

Note: If you can’t find fresh huitlacoche at your local Mexican market, you can also use frozen. The canned variety, like that available from La Costeña, tends to lack the flavor of the real thing, but will do in a pinch.
Huitlacoche Tamales by Gustavo Romero

Huitlacoche Tamales by Gustavo Romero

Servings

8 tamales

Chef Gustavo Romero's recipe for tamales that gains depth of flavor from huitlacoche, the fungus found on ears of corn - also known as Mexican truffle!

Ingredients

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    • 2 ¼ cups lard (coconut oil is a good vegan sub)

    • 3 ⅓ cups Nixtamalized masa (corn dough)

    • ¾ tsp baking powder

    • 2 tsp kosher salt

    • 1 cup and 1 tablespoon huitlacoche

    • 1 cup huitlacoche puree

    • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, kept warm

    • 1 cup bolita amarillo (whole yellow corn kernels), nixtamalized, rinsed and boiled until al dente

    • 7 oz cheese such as queso cincho, cut into matchsticks, or about 1 ¾ cups filling of your choice

    • 8 ea banana leaf or corn husk

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    • 1 cup garlic cloves, peeled

    • 2 cups corn oil

    • 4 cups heavy cream

    • 1 cup bolita amarillo (yellow corn kernels) that have been nixtamalized, rinsed and boiled until al dente

    • Salt and pepper, to taste

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    • 4 tablespoons oil

    • 2 shallots, diced

    • 2 red jalapeños, diced

    • 1 lb (about 2 cups) shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

    • 1 cup huitlacoche

    • ¼ cup fresh epazote, chopped (optional)

    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Directions

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      1. In a stand mixer, whip lard on high speed for 4-5 minutes with whisk attachment until light and fluffy.

      2. Remove bowl from mixer and fold coarsely ground masa in by hand using a rubber spatula to maintain airy structure.

      3. Add salt and baking powder, and lightly stir.

      4. Add whole and pureed huitlacoche and fold until fully incorporated.

      5. Add kernels of bolita amarillo (yellow corn), fold in.

      6. Add warm chicken stock and mix with rubber spatula until you get a hummus-like texture.

      7. In a banana leaf or corn husk that has been soaked in warm water for 30 minutes, place 3/4 cup tamal dough (pressing slightly with the back of a spoon to ensure it stays in place. Place 2 oz cheese or other filling in the center of the dough.

      8. Fold the husk, or leaf, around the filling – if you’re using corn husks, tear a small strip to use as a tie to close the tamal.

      9. Line steamer basket with extra corn husks or banana leaves and arrange the tamales in the bottom of the basket (don’t pack too tight or they won’t have room to expand!). Fill bottom of steamer with water, bring to a boil, and place covered basket inside.

      10. Cook tamales on a medium low flame, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

      11. Open tamal, drizzle with cream sauce and heap with a spoonful of mushroom topping.

      12. Allow to cool slightly before eating.

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      1. Place whole garlic cloves and oil in a roasting pan, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until cloves are soft and golden.

      2. Warm cream in saucepan together with mushrooms and yellow corn kernels, stirring frequently, until garlic begins to infuse the cream.

      3. Pour mixture into blender and puree until incorporated and uniform.

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      1. Warm oil in a saucepan and sauté shallots and jalapeños until soft.

      2. Add mushrooms and huitlacoche, stirring, until saucy. Add optional fresh epazote and salt and pepper to taste.

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