INGREDIENTS

(serves six)

220g masa (Mexican dough)
350ml corn stock or chicken stock heated to a simmer
2tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
1tsp pepper
½tsp toasted and ground cumin
½tsp coriander seed toasted and ground
115g soft butter cut into small pieces
115g fresh corn kernels
6 banana leaves
170g coarsely chopped husked tomatillos
1 small avocado peeled pitted and coarsely chopped
1tsp fresh lime juice
½tsp salt
6 salmon fillets about 200g each
Olive oil for brushing
Salt and pepper

For the vinaigrette
1tsp crumbled achiote (annato seed paste)
50ml grapefruit juice
¼tsp chopped garlic
Salt to taste 50ml peanut oil

METHOD

To make the sweet corn tamales whip together masa and stock in an electric mixer with the whip attachment for 10 minutes. Add baking powder salt pepper cumin and coriander. Add the soft butter bit by bit and whip until fluffy.

Remove from mixer and fold in corn kernels. Place banana leaves on counter and place a portion (about 140g) of masa mixture on each one. Wrap tamales and place in a steamer over boiling water. Steam tamales for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from steamer and set aside. (Allow tamales to rest 15 to 30 minutes before grilling.)

To make the vinaigrette whisk together achiote grapefruit juice garlic salt and peanut oil. Set aside.

For the avocado-tomatillo sauce place chopped tomatillos in bowl of a food processor. Purée. Add avocado and purée until creamy. Season with salt and lime juice. Set aside.

Fire up the grill. Brush salmon fillets lightly with olive oil season with salt and pepper and grill on both sides until nicely marked by the grill and just barely done in the centre. Grill tamales on both sides until warmed all the way through. Set out six dinner plates and place a grilled tamale on each plate. Slit the banana leaf open so tamale will be easier to eat. Place a grilled salmon fillet on each plate. Drizzle some achiote vinaigrette and spoon some avocado tomatillo sauce around the salmon on each plate.

Tom Douglas