ASPARAGUS AND POBLANO TAMALES, GUACAMOLE, AND COCONUT PANNA COTTA

Yesterday I Made:

ASPARAGUS AND POBLANO TAMALES, HOMEMADE GUACAMOLE, and COCONUT PANNA COTTA for DINNER AND DESSERT.

Tamales are stuffed with an asparagus, poblano, red kidney bean mixture.

Then topped with a lemony guacamole and roasted poblano chili.

The panna cotta is basically a thick coconut pudding served with a Berry Coulis.

The tamales recipe from THE ACCIDENTAL VEGAN by Devra Gartenstein.

The guacamole recipe is from here.

Coconut panna cotta recipe from Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson.

Traditional tamales have lard mixed into the dough and are stuffed with meats or cheese.

This recipe called for canola oil and two of my favorite things in the world: asparagus and poblano chilies.

How could I pass this recipe up?

I didn't follow the exact directions for the actual assembly and steaming as the book instructed.

In my family, we make tamales for Christmas every year.

So, I just went by memory.

But I do have to say, that tamale making takes time and patience.

You first have to soak your corn husks in water for at least 6 hours to make them pliable for folding.

While the husks are soaking, you make the stuffing and let cool.

Then you make the dough, preferably in a Kitchen Aid.

Drain, rinse, and dry the husks.

Begin smearing the masa (dough) and stuff with the stuffing.

Steam in a steamer for about 1:45 minutes.

They turned out delicious and I would definitely make these again.

The stuffing possibilities are endless.

Before we went vegan, one of my all time favorite desserts was panna cotta.

But, since becoming vegan, I stopped eating it.

Traditional panna cotta contains cream, milk, sugar, and gelatin.

Thanks to SUPER NATURAL COOKING, I can now savour it again.

Only this time, it won't be an artery clogging dessert.

And it goes perfect with the berry sauce.

The sauce is a mixture of fresh raspberries, blackberries, agave (or sugar), and lemon juice.

Simmered to release some juice, cooled, and chilled.