Hallacas are the Venezuelan cousins of the Mexican tamale. Traditionally made for Christmas meals, the hallaca is a corn meal dough filled with cooked meat and other ingredients such as peppers, raisins, capers and olives, tied in plantain leaves then poached in broth.
As the hallacas are quite time consuming to make, they are normally made in a much bigger batch than what you see here. Check in with a Latin or South American specialty grocer for some of the ingredients, they should have what you need to give the recipe a try.
Instructions
Stew
1¾ pounds beef sirloin tip
1 pound chicken (traditionally hen)
¾ pound pork butt
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 cups onion, chopped
1 1/3 cups leeks, chopped
1 cup garlic, minced
3 tablespoons capers in 3 tablespoons chicken broth
¾ pound red bell pepper
1 2/3 cups tomatoes, grated
1/3 cup white wine
2½ ounces papelón rallado, grated (sugar cane blocks available at Latin grocery stores)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2/3 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon, plus 2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon ground mustard
6 to 8 cups chicken broth
Masa Dough
3 pounds corn flour (P.A.N. is the common brand found in most grocery stores)
1½ cups chicken broth
5 2/3 cups water
1 2/3 cups vegetable or canola oil
1½ cups of grated red bell pepper, approximately 1 to 2 peppers
Garnish
1 to 2 red bell peppers (cut in long slices without skin or seeds)
2½ ounces almonds, sliced
1 onion, cut in long rings or long slices
2½ ounces capers, drained
1/3 pound green olives, drained
2½ ounces prunes
Wrapping
3 pounds plantain leaves (about 3 bags)
butcher’s twine
Clean and trim some of the fat from the chicken, beef and pork and cut into a medium dice. Simmer all three meats in slightly salted water for about 40 minutes without completely softening, reserve the broth for use in the stew and masa.
In a large pot heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until transparent, then add the remaining ingredients and let cook for about 10 minutes. Add the meats, and deglaze with the white wine.
Cover with broth and add salt and pepper to taste. Add the grated papelón and simmer on low for 4 to 6 hours until thick. Remove from the heat and let stand overnight.
Masa
Next day the dough, leaves and garnish can be prepared to make the hallacas.
Start the dough by pouring the corn flour into a large enough bowl to be able to knead it.
In a blender place the red bell pepper with the water, oil and broth to make a red pepper water for the masa. Add the red pepper mixture to the flour, add salt to taste and knead until smooth.
Assemble
Wash the plantain leaves under cold running water and cut into desired hallaca size roughly 12 by 12 inches.
Take a plantain sheet and grease it with a little bit of oil. Place a ball of dough (about 1/12 of the dough) into the centre of the sheet and roll it out creating a symmetrical circumference. Add the stew (cold) and place it into the centre of the dough.
At this point add the garnishes and distribute them throughout the stew.
Fold the wide side of the sheet, creating a fold until it is closed, then fold the ends inwards and wrap it with a second smaller plantain leaf (8 by 12 inches in size). Secure the hallaca through the middle, tie it with the butchers twine by crossing it three times in each direction.
When all the hallacas are ready, bring a deep pot of salted water to a boil, turn the water to simmer and cook for 1 hour. Once cooked remove the hallacas from the water and let them drain. They can be eaten right away or let drain and cool, then refrigerate until you are ready to eat them. They can be reheated by placing them into hot water for about 20 minutes. Cut the string and remove the plantain leave to serve.
