Cuban recipe
Crispy Fried Cuban Tamales with Mojo Roast Pork
Cuban tamales, cooked, chilled and pan-fried until golden, with a crispy crust, tender interior and roast pork with sour orange mojo.
- Preparation35 min
- Cooking1 h 25 min
- Total time3 h
- Servings6 servings of fried tamales with roast pork
- DifficultyMedium
A delicious way to turn Cuban tamales into an appetizer to share: first they are cooked in corn husks, chilled until firm, then browned on the outside. They are served with shredded roast pork and mojo criollo. This is a modern version, perfect for using up leftover tamales and pork, not the traditional preparation wrapped in husks.
Ingredients
Check off the ingredients you have.
For six base tamales
To finish with roast pork and mojo
Method
Make and cook the tamales
- Grind the corn kernels into a thick paste with some texture. Sauté the onion, bell pepper and garlic in the lard or oil for 6 to 8 minutes, then add the cumin and salt.
- Mix the sofrito with the corn and gradually add the fine cornmeal until you have a moist dough that does not drip. Divide among double layers of corn husks, then close and tie into six packages.
- Cook in a covered steamer, without direct contact with the water, for 55-65 minutes, until the dough is set and pulls away from the husk. Let cool and refrigerate for 45-60 minutes so they hold their shape.
Brown and serve
- Remove the husks and cut each cold tamale into two or three thick medallions about 2.5 cm thick. Lightly pat the surface dry with a paper towel.
- Heat three tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium heat and brown the medallions for 3-4 minutes per side without moving them too much, until a crust forms; turn them with a spatula.
- For the mojo, heat the oil with the garlic and onion for a couple of minutes without burning them; remove from the heat and stir in the sour orange juice and oregano. Heat the already cooked roast pork separately. Place the pork on top of the crispy tamales and finish with a little mojo. Serve immediately.
