Duck Confit Tamales
Yield
70 small tamales
RECIPE Ingredients
FOR THE MASA DOUGH
- 12 cups Maseca corn flour - for tamales
- 11 cups warm chicken stock
- 6 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 8⅓ cups lard
- 2⅓ cups Duck Fat
- 2⅓ cups unsalted butter, softened
- 8 tablespoons Guajillo chili pepper
FOR THE FILLING
- 3 pounds Duck Legs Confit, shredded
- 1 quart tomato concasse, (peeled, seeded and chopped)
- ½ quart basil chiffonade
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 quart Duck and Veal Demi-Glace
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon Piment d' Espelette
- 3 tablespoons chipotle puree
- Harissa sauce, for dipping (optional)
Recipe notes
Try our spicy duck confit tamales recipe, and make masa and chile sauce from scratch for Texas fare with a French accent. This chef recipe is designed to serve a big party, so get some extra hands to help stuff the corn husks and gather friends and family.
RECIPE Preparation
- For the masa: In a large mixer with paddle attachment, combine lard, duck fat and soft butter. Mix for 1 minute on #1 stetting then stop. Scrap sides and paddle. Switch to #2 setting and mix for 8 minutes. Stop; scrap sides of mixing bowl and paddle.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the maseca flour, salt, baking powder, and chicken stock and mix by hand until the dough is smooth.
- Add corn dough mixture to the lard and fat mixture and mix for 6 minutes to finish.
- Add the Guajillo puree*.
- Transfer the finished dough to an air-tight container and store.
- For the filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the duck legs confit, the tomato concasse, basil chiffonade, cumin, salt and pepper, piment d’Espelette, chipotle puree. When the mixture is well combined, add in the demi-glace. Once all the ingredients are mixed well again, transfer to an air tight container and store.
- Soak the corn husks in hot water until soft. Drain.
- Using a plastic spatula spread about 2 oz. of masa dough onto the corn husk. Put the duck confit stuffing in the center and wrap, rolling lengthwise and sealing both ends.
- Using a steamer, cook the tamales on medium heat with enough water for about 1 and a half hours.
CHEF'S NOTE: For the Guajillo puree: place chillis in stock to soften. When soft (about 10-15 minutes), transfer to a blender and puree as fine as possible. Chill puree mix and reserve.
