Saveur - April-May 2017

24 SAVEUR.COM

MASTER CLASS

A Family Affair

In Veracruz, where Nopalito

chef Gonzalo Guzmán spent

his childhood, making

masa was a communal event

“I was born in a

400-person vil-

lage in Veracruz,

Mexico, where my

family and I tended

cornfields and

dried our own corn

for masa making.

The community

shared a molino,

and masa was

the basis of every

meal we’d eat. For

breakfast, we’d

dry out tortillas

in the sun, then

break them into

pieces and griddle

them over fire with

salsa or mole to

make chilaquiles.

We’d fry masa into

little dumplings,

like gnocchi, for

snacks. And on

weekends, the

town would meet

at the shops to

eat antojitos—a

word that means

‘cravings’ and

a category of

masa-based street

foods like gorditas,

panuchos, tamales,

and tacos. To me,

making masa from

scratch is one of

the most important

parts of my home’s

true cuisine. Today,

if I didn’t have

masa on hand at all

times at home,

I wouldn’t feel like

a Mexican.”

Homemade Masa

MAKES ABOUT 5 CUPS; Photo pg. 25

Active: 45 min. • Total: 8 hr. 45 min.

To become masa , d r ied cor n must first be

nixtamalized—that is, simmered in an alkaline

solution to hull and tenderize the kernels for grinding.

Nixtamalization is mostly hands off, but soaking

takes 8 hours , so plan accordingly. Masa should feel

like thick mashed potatoes, moist but not sticky. In

case it ’s too wet, add a lit tle instant cor n masa flour

(masa har ina), like Maseca brand , to f resh masa.

4 cups dried corn (about 1½ lb.)

3 Tbsp. calcium hydroxide (also called “cal”

or pickling lime)

Salt

1 In a large pot, add the corn and enough water

to cover it by double (8–10 cups). Stir in the cal

and bring the water to a low boil. Let cook, stir-

ring every 5 minutes to check the water content,

Great masa

comes from

great corn.

Buy organic or

heirloom when

possible, and

sift out any grit

before using.

until the corn is al dente (when broken or bitten,

the center of the kernel will still be slightly white)

and the silky skins slip off easily when rubbed

between fingers, 5–20 minutes. Turn off the heat

and add water as needed to cover the corn by

2 inches. Cover and let rest at least 8 hours and

up to 16 hours (corn will have swelled in size and

may have changed color).

2 Transfer to a strainer and wash the corn under

cold running water, rubbing it vigorously between

your hands, until most of the skins have come off

and the kernels look shiny (don’t use a fine-mesh

strainer, as you want the skins to fall to the bot-

tom of the strainer or slip away through the holes).

Use the corn immediately or store fully covered in

fresh, cool water for up to 1 day in the refrigerator.

3 Grind the corn on nearly the tightest setting in

a molino de mano (hand-operated corn grinder),

pouring 1 –2 teaspoons water over corn as needed

to help it slide through the grinder. Tighten the

setting all the way and repeat the grinding. If mak-

ing tortillas, grind the masa once more in a stone

grinder (metate) to get a fine, smooth consistency.

Season with salt and add small amounts of water

only as needed to reach a moist but not sticky con-

sistency. Chill in a roomy container and use within

2 days. Bring to room temperature before using.

Taste the Rainbow

This organic

yellow corn has

an intensely but-

tery flavor. Stock

your pantry with

a 6-pound bag.

flowingriver

farm.com

Sourced from

the mountains of

Central Mexico, the

berry-colored heir-

loom Blue Cónico

turns nearly black

when fried.

masienda.com

A rare heirloom

from Oaxaca,

Olotillo has

a startling

sweetness and

strong aroma.

masienda.com

After being

nixtamalized and

ground, this

rose-toned red

corn fades to

a pretty pink.

kalustyans.com

The ruby, pome-

granate seed–

like Papa’s Red

kernels mellow in

color and create

a pillowy masa.

rareseeds.com

The amber

Chapalote is the

United States’ old-

est variety, having

been farmed for at

least 4,000 years.

rareseeds.com

Corn comes in many breeds. Each brings its own

wonderful, unique character—and color—to masa

Oaxacan Green

Dent takes on an

earthy, sagelike

hue once ground

and cooked.

rareseeds.com

Masa made from

Papa’s Blue

brightens up to a

vibrant blue. It’s

also easy to grind

into a uniform

consistency.

rareseeds.com PORTRAIT: EVA KOLENKO