Thursday's recipe: Cacahuazintle Corn Tamale with Northern-Style Dry Beef Cheek
- Chef Yerika
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
The encounter between Mexico's ancestral corn and the Creole cuisine of northern Peru.
There are ingredients capable of telling the story of an entire country. Corn is one of them.
From the cacahuazintle corn fields that have fed generations of Mexicans to the slow-cooked stews that are part of the Peruvian culinary identity, this creation seeks to pay homage to two gastronomic traditions that share the same passion: respect for the product and time.
In this dish, Chef Yerika combines the ancestral technique of Mexican tamales with one of the most emblematic dishes of northern Peruvian cuisine: seco de res (beef stew). The result is an elegant, profound, and contemporary recipe where corn and cilantro converse in perfect harmony.
Ingredients
For the dry northern-style beef cheeks.
1.5 kg of clean beef cheek.
1 large chopped white onion.
4 cloves of garlic.
1 cup of fresh cilantro.
1 cup of dark beer.
2 cups of dark beef stock.
1 tablespoon of cumin.
1 teaspoon of black pepper.
Salt to taste.
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
For the cacahuazintle corn tamale.
500 g of nixtamalized corn dough from cacahuazintle.
150 g of lard.
250 ml of chicken broth.
Salt to taste.
Hydrated corn husks.
For the pickled onion.
1 red onion.
Juice of 3 lemons.
Salt.
Dried oregano.
To conclude.
Coriander sprouts.
Ancho chili powder.
Edible yellow flowers.
Elaboration.
Northern-style Dry Beef Cheek.
Season the beef cheeks with salt and pepper.
Brown in a heavy pot until a deep color is obtained.
Pick up and reserve.
In the same pot, sauté onion and garlic until lightly caramelized.
Blend the cilantro with the dark beer until you get a smooth sauce.
Add to the pot along with the beef stock.
Add cumin and return the beef cheeks.
Cook covered over very low heat for four hours or until the meat can be easily broken down with a spoon.
Remove the beef cheeks and reduce the sauce until it has a shiny, silky consistency.
Lightly shred the meat and mix with some of the reduction.
Cacahuazintle Corn Tamale.
Beat the butter until it is airy.
Incorporate the dough little by little.
Add the hot broth and adjust the salt.
The mixture should be light and creamy.
Place on corn husks.
Close carefully.
Steam for one hour and fifteen minutes.
Let it rest for twenty minutes before serving.
Pickled Onion.
Slice the onion thinly.
Mix with lemon, salt and oregano.
Let it rest for thirty minutes.
Plating.
Place an oval tamale in the center of the plate.
Place a generous portion of glazed beef cheek on top.
Napar with the reduction of the northern dryness.
Add pickled onion for freshness and acidity.
Finish with cilantro sprouts, ancho chili powder, and a few edible flowers.
Chef Yerika's Vision.
This recipe comes from a simple idea: to unite two cultures that have built their identity around corn.
Mexico contributes cacahuazintle corn, nixtamalization, and the tamale tradition. Peru contributes the aromatic depth of seco norteño, one of the most representative dishes of its Creole cuisine.
The result is a dish that speaks of territory, tradition, and evolution. A contemporary interpretation of two culinary heritages that continue to inspire new generations of Latin American chefs.
Suggested Pairing.
A medium-bodied Argentinian Malbec or a dark craft beer with toasted notes perfectly complements the richness of the beef cheek and the depth of the coriander.
Performance.
4 to 6 servings.
Difficulty.
Medium-High.
Total Time.
6 hours.
Comments