Toqueras Dulces de la Meseta P'urhepecha

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Comal de barro or heavy cast iron comal
• •Molino, metate, or food processor for grinding fresh corn
• •Wide clay or wooden mixing bowl
• •Basket lined with a clean servilleta

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the leaves

   Rinse the hojas de maiz fresca de la planta and pat them dry. These are fresh leaves from the corn plant, flexible and green, not dried corn husks from a bag. If the center rib is stiff, flatten it with the back of a knife. You need leaves that bend around the masa without cracking.

2. 2

   Grind the corn

   Cut the kernels from the fresh corn and scrape the cobs with the back of the knife to catch the milky pulp. Grind the kernels and pulp in a molino if you have one, or pulse in a food processor until thick and coarse, not watery. You should still see small bits of corn skin. That texture is the toquera. Do not make baby food.

3. 3

   Beat the masa

   In a wide bowl, work the masa nixtamalizada with the softened manteca de cerdo, piloncillo, salt, and canela. Add the ground fresh corn and beat with your hand until the mixture turns glossy and holds together in a soft mound. La manteca es el sabor. Shortening gives you a pale imitation and a greasy mouthfeel. No me vengas con atajos.

4. 4

   Adjust the texture

   Pinch a little masa between your fingers. It should feel moist, thick, and spoonable, heavier than cake batter and softer than tortilla masa. If it is dry, add milk or fresh crema one tablespoon at a time. If it is loose, let it sit ten minutes so the masa nixtamalizada drinks the corn juice. The corn decides. The cook listens.

5. 5

   Wrap the toqueras

   Lay one fresh corn leaf on the counter, shiny side down. Spoon 3 generous tablespoons of masa into the center and spread it into a short oval. Fold one long side over the masa, then the other, making a flat packet. Fold the ends underneath and tie lightly with a thin strip of leaf or kitchen twine. The packet should be firm enough to move, not squeezed like laundry.

6. 6

   Heat the comal

   Set a comal de barro over low to medium heat, preferably over lena. If you are using a metal comal, keep the heat gentler than you think. Clay holds heat differently and browns slowly. Rub the surface with a thin film of manteca, just enough to season the contact point.

7. 7

   Griddle slowly

   Place the wrapped toqueras at the comal's edge, where the heat is steady but not fierce. Cook 10 to 12 minutes on the first side, then turn and cook 8 to 10 minutes more. The leaves should darken in patches and the masa inside should set into a tender cake with browned edges. If sugar leaks and caramelizes on the comal, leave it. That smell is piloncillo doing its work.

8. 8

   Rest and serve

   Move the toqueras to a basket lined with a clean servilleta and let them rest five minutes before opening. Serve warm with atole blanco or kamata. Do not drown them in syrup, cream cheese, or inventions. The sweetness is already inside the corn. Asi se hace y punto.

Chef Tips

• •Buy the corn when it is young and milky. If the kernels are dry, starchy, or dented, make another dish. Toquera belongs to maiz nuevo, not tired supermarket corn.
• •Ask for masa nixtamalizada at a tortilleria that still smells like cal and corn. If the masa tastes sour or gray, walk away. Si no conoces el mercado, no conoces la cocina.
• •Hoja de maiz fresca de la planta is not the same as dried corn husk. Dried husk steams tamales. Fresh corn leaf protects and perfumes the toquera while it browns on the comal.
• •Chile peron, called chile manzano in some markets, has black seeds and belongs beside Michoacan tables in salsas for savory dishes like corundas, charales, and minguiche. It does not go into these sweet toqueras.
• •Charal, the small endemic fish of Patzcuaro such as Chirostoma jordani and its relatives, is part of the same regional table, but not this recipe. Respecting a cuisine also means knowing what not to mix.

Advance Preparation

• •The masa can be mixed up to 4 hours ahead, covered tightly, and held in the refrigerator. Bring it back to cool room temperature before wrapping so the manteca softens again.
• •Wrapped raw toqueras can rest for 1 hour before griddling. Longer than that and the fresh leaves begin to weep.
• •Cooked toqueras are best the same day. Rewarm them on a low comal, still wrapped, until the leaf darkens again and the masa feels tender.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 85g)