Christmas Recipes from Panama

• 1 chicken cut in quarters
• 12 small red peppers
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 6 stalks of cilantro, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 can of tomato paste (170 g)
• 2 small boxes of raisins (1 ½ oz each)
• 1 small jar of olives
• 3 tablespoons of capers
• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 can of tomato sauce (170 g)
• 1 small can of petite peas (241 g)
• 2 pounds of ground corn
• 24 corn husks
• 1 ball of string
• Salt to taste

Cook corn until it is soft. Drain the water and then rinse with cold water. Once the water has drained, grind corn and let sit. Next, heat the vegetable oil and sauté the chicken with the peppers, onion, cilantro, garlic, pepper and salt. Once you are finished sautéing the chicken, add the tomato paste, tomato sauce and bouillon cubes. Let cook 10 minutes and then add enough water to sufficiently cover the chicken.

Cover and simmer over low heat until chicken is soft. Add the raisins, olives, capers and let cook an additional 20 minutes. Finally, add the small peas. If there is only a little water left, add a little more. This sauce is added to the corn mixture - stir until well blended.

Wash the corn husks thoroughly and put them in a pot of boiling water. Cut the string long enough to wrap around the tamale.

In each husk place a large spoonful of the paste, one piece of the chicken and then another half a spoonful of the paste, wrap and tie. Repeat this process until all of the paste is used. Put the tamales in a large pot of boiling water and cook them for 1 (one) hour. Remove from pot and serve.

Servings: 20-24 tamales

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