There’s been a tamale cart at most of the Wednesday [...]]]> This summer, I’ve been taking gluten-free baking to the Mayfair Market, and aside from (1) selling lots of baked goods and (2) meeting the people who need gluten-free baking, one of the great things about the markets is meeting and talking with some of the other vendors.

There’s been a tamale cart at most of the Wednesday markets, with GREAT tamales, and for a few weeks now, I’ve been enjoying them.  Last night, however, the cart wasn’t there, and don’t you know I got a craving for tamales.

Normally these are not something to whip up on the fly — they take a good hour to steam once they’re assembled, and some assembly time if you decide to make mole sauce from scatch, but….

NEVER FEAR!!! THE PRESSURE COOKER IS HERE!!!

So, with instant masa (worth the price of a bag!) , some mole sauce from the freezer, and the pressure cooker, you too can have tamales from start to finish in under an hour.  Hey, they may not be pretty, but no more cravings

Step 1:  Mix the masa (I use this instant Masa Mix …) and soak the corn husks

Step 2: Make the filling — tonight, I sauteed some finely sliced chicken thighs, garlic, onions and tossed in some mole sauce from the freezer.

Step 3: Assemble the tamales (a dollop of the masa on the husk, a small dollop of chicken, roll up and fold the bottom under)

Step 4: line them up in the pressure cooker, open side up, and cook at high pressure for 12-13 minutes, then sit off the heat for another 8.

My pressure cooker has a steamer basket that fits inside — excellent for making tamales, cheesecakes, or anything else you might need to steam in a hurry!