Soak some trimmed corn husk (bought in Mexican stores) for several hours in cold water, then boil until soft, remove; dry on cloth, and rub with lard. Cut up a fat chicken, cook until very tender in just enough water to leave about four cups. Chop up cooked chicken, add corn meal or masa to boiling hot chicken broth until a thick dough; add salt to taste, one tablespoon chile powder, or chile sauce No. 1; add tablespoon of lard and knead all together until light and smooth. Now to all the chicken add enough chile sauce No. 1 to mix thickly together; add about one-fourth cup of sliced olives and a few whole ones and one-fourth cup seedless raisins, and a few whole ones, salt to taste and cook together for five minutes; spread corn dough evenly over shuck or husk about one-eighth inch thick. In center of one larger husk place a large kitchen spoonful of chicken; spread over this one tablespoonful of dough; place another husk spread with dough; continue placing husk around on all sides until about ten are used. Tie ends together with a strip of husk and place on end in a colander over boiling water for two or three hours, or place some corn husk in bottom of vessel, pile tamales on top, pour in about a quart of water, bring to a boil and steam slowly for three or four hours.

Tamale Pie

Make a crust of two cups of hot water, one-half cup lard, one teaspoon salt, and cornmeal to make thick dough. Spread on bottom and sides of pie tin. Mix beef, pork, veal or chicken with plenty of suet for shortening—any two of above meats will do—measure two cups of meat, add two tablespoons of cornmeal, one-half cup of chile pulp, one teaspoon salt, one-half cup meat stock or water. Cook for a few minutes, fill pie crust, spread more dough over top. Make little balls the size of marbles set around edge. Pour a little melted lard over the top, sprinkle with chile powder; bake about thirty minutes.

Beef Tamales

Ground beef fried in lard and suet, add chile sauce No. 2 and cook until thick. Prepare cornmeal or masa by pouring on boiling hot water, salt to taste, add one cup of lard to four cups meal or masa, add few olives and raisins if desired. Prepare as for chicken tamale recipe. Steam. Texas tamales made as above with olives and raisins left out and spoonful put in one long shuck, fold ends over and press flat.