Shrimp and Roasted Garlic Corn Tamales

No, this is not a Thomas Keller recipe. It's Bobby Flay's. My sister is headed to a convention in Las Vegas and I was suggesting she might try Bouchon in Vegas. We discussed several restaurants and during the course of our conversation, I remembered this dish which I ate at Mesa Grill in New York several years ago when I visited the  city with Audrey. We ate at Babbo on that trip and some other big name places but the dish that I still remember is this one, from Mesa Grill. It was a fantastic mix of flavors and textures. I loved it!  WSH bought me the Mesa Grill cookbook specifically for this dish. And this is my first attempt. Tamales intimidate me.

OK.. here we go, first you soak your dried corn husks in warm water until they are pliable. And also first roast a full head of garlic in a 300 oven with olive oil and salt and pepper for about 45 min.

Now to work on the masa. I have to say this is the most unusual masa recipe I have ever seen. You mix together corn kernels and a diced red onion and puree them with 1.5 c water.

Then you mix in melted butter, honey, salt and pepper and some yellow corn meal, only 2/3 c.  The book says "the mixture will be very loose" no. kidding. Once that's done you assemble your tamales. I looked at several tamale instructional videos before trying this, but it didn't do any good. You see, Mr. Flay uses 2 husks per tamale, not one. So, don't laugh at my aesthetically challenged tamales...

These steam for 45-75 minutes until firm. In the meantime make the sauce by sauteeing an onion, adding a head of roasted garlic and a cup of white wine. Simmer until wine is just about evaporated and add 3 c heavy cream. Let that cook down until reduced by half. Then puree the mixture and add salt and pepper to taste.

Get the shrimp ready by seasoning them with salt and pepper on both sides. Cook half the shrimp in 2 T olive oil 2-3 minutes until just golden brown and then remove them to a plate. Repeat with the second half.  Place 1 c corn kernels in the pan you used to sautee the shrimp and cook for about 1 min. Add the cream/garlic sauce and then the shrimp just long enough to heat through.

Now for the plating. And let me just warn you folks, it ain't pretty. At the Mesa Grill this is a beautiful dish, with dots of vibrant red chili oil and deep green cilantro oil, there are cilantro leaves as garnish, it is nearly a work of art. Mine is not. My tamale masa never quite came together, might be better on the reheat, so I just kind of clumped it on a plate and spooned the shrimp/cream/garlic on it.  It was very very tasty, just the right amount of roasted garlic and the sweet shrimp. How could anything with heavy cream be bad? Anyways, it's not a show plate but it was definitely good food.

See you soon!