Hallacas Recipe

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 1 cup vegetable oil 
• 2 teaspoons annatto seeds
• 3 1/2 cups pre-cooked corn meal, such as P.A.N., more as needed
• 3 cups water 

For the Guiso Filling

• 1/4 medium coarsely chopped white onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 1/2 ounces diced bacon
• 1/2 coarsely chopped red bell pepper
• 9 ounces boneless pork leg, diced into small pieces
• 9 ounces boneless beef shank, diced into small pieces
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup raisins, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup pitted green olives, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup capers, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon paprika

For Assembling the Hallacas

• Banana leaves, thawed if frozen, and cleaned
• 1 small white onion, sliced crosswise into rings
• 1 small red bell pepper, sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips
• 1 cup pitted green olives, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup capers, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup raisins
• Steps to Make It
• Make the Masa
• Gather the ingredients.
  
• Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, then add the annatto seeds, remove from the heat, and let cool, about 30 minutes. Swirl the oil to mix. Strain and discard the seeds. Reserve half of the oil for the masa and half for the filling.
  
• Add corn meal to a large bowl with 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup annatto-infused oil. Stir to combine, then knead the mixture in the bowl by hand.
  
• Gradually add enough of the remaining water a bit at a time and continue kneading until the dough is smooth, and soft enough to shape into a ball without any cracks on the surface. Cover in plastic or with a damp towel until ready to use. Alternatively, if the dough is too wet, add more corn meal 1 teaspoons at a time until you reach the proper consistency.
  Make the Guiso Filling
• Heat the remaining 1/2 cup annatto oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the bacon and red pepper. Continue to cook until the bacon begins to brown and red pepper begins to soften, about 3 minutes.
  
• Add the pork, beef, water, wine, and salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the meat is very tender and the liquids in the pot reduce, 30 to 45 minutes.
  
• Add the parsley, raisins, olives, capers, and paprika. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients meld together, another 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
  
• Assemble the Hallacas
• Using kitchen shears, cut banana leaves into 10-inch squares. Remove any center stems without cutting into the leaves. Set out your ingredients in an assembly line: the banana leaves, the hallaca dough, a small bowl of water, and the guiso filling.
  
• Spread open a banana leaf. The banana leaves have veins running across the surface. Turn the leaf so the veins run horizontally. Spoon about 1/2 cup of dough on the leaf. Wet fingers in the bowl of water and spread dough evenly over the center of the leaf.
  
• Spoon about 1/2 cup guiso filling over dough.
  
• Place a couple onion rings, bell pepper slices, olives, capers, and raisins on top.
  
• Fold the top and bottom edges of the dough over the filling.
  
• Then bring the top and bottom edges of the banana leaf to meet together over the hallaca. Fold together as shown.
  
• Turn over and bring side ends together under hallaca. Tie with strips of banana leaves or kitchen twine to secure. Repeat with remaining leaves, dough, and guiso.
  
• Stack hallacas, folded seams-down, inside a large pot. Cover hallacas with water. Bring water to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until hallacas are cooked through, about 35 minutes.
  
• Remove hallacas from pot. Cool until able to handle. To eat, unwrap banana leaf, revealing the cooked hallaca.