Tamales with Rajas and Oaxacan Cheese

Ingredients

• 6 medium poblano peppers
• 1 pound Oaxacan cheese, pulled into thin strips approximately 3-inches long
• 1 recipe basic tamale dough
• 3 dozen dried corn husks, soaked in water for at least 1 hour
• Salsa verde, for serving

Directions

1. Char the peppers right on a gas burner, on a grill, or beneath a hot broiler, rotating them now and then, until the outside is blackened all over. Transfer them to a bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set them aside until they can be handled comfortably, 10 to 15 minutes. With paper towels, wipe away the blistered skin, then remove the stems and seeds from the poblanos. Cut the peppers into strips 1/4 inch wide and 2 to 3 inches long.
2. Set 1 corn husk on your work surface with the wide end facing you. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of tamale dough onto the larger end and pat it into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick, keeping a 1-inch border around the husk. Arrange a few strips of pepper and cheese through the middle of the dough. Bring the sides of the husk in so the dough wraps around the filling, then fold the bottom upward and tie the tamale closed with a narrow strip torn from another husk. Continue the same way with the rest of the husks, dough, and filling.
3. Pour 1 inch of water into a large pot and bring it to a boil. Stand the tamales upright in a steamer insert, or place them on a rack set above the water. Cover the pot and steam until the dough is fully cooked and releases cleanly from the husk, about 1 hour. Take the tamales out of the steamer and let them sit until the dough sets a bit, about 15 minutes. Serve right away with salsa verde, or refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to four months. Thaw frozen tamales, then warm them in a steamer until heated through, or microwave on high for 2 minutes.