Ingredients

• 1/4 cup celery, diced
• 1/4 cup carrot, diced
• 1 cup onion, diced
• Olive oil flavored pan spray
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup diced tomato with juice
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
• 1/2 cup zucchini, diced
• 1/4 cup corn kernels
• 1 cup garbanzo beans
• 1 teaspoon adobo paste from canned chipotle peppers
• 2 cups masa harina de maiz
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups warm chicken stock
• 4 tablespoons light butter
• 6 ounces cooked, boneless, skinless smoked turkey, shredded
• 1/4 cup red or green salsa

Instructions

1. For the Soup: Gently sweat the celery, carrot and onion using the pan spray until the onion has softened, keeping a lid on the pot except when stirring. Add oregano, cumin and garlic. Sweat for a few more minutes. Add the stock and simmer 30 minutes. Add tomato products, zucchini, corn, garbanzo beans and adobo paste. Simmer 10 minutes. Unwrap the tamales, place 2 each in 6 large bottom soup bowls. Ladle soup over tamales. Garnish, if desired, with chopped cilantro, crumbled Queso Ranchero, and a squeeze of lime.
2. Combine masa, salt and stock. In a large mixing bowl, whip softened light butter until fluffy, then incorporate into masa. Spread a 2 1/2 by 4-nch rectangle of masa mixture onto an 8 by 10 inch aluminum foil rectangle. Combine the chicken and salsa, then place 2 tablespoons lengthwise on the masa. Gently fold over the foil lengthwise. Crimp the masa together. Roll up and close first the long side and finally the ends to form a pocket. Steam, covered with toweling for 1 1/2 hours. Yield: 12 tamales