Hallacas

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Prepare the annatto oil: In a medium saucepan, add the annatto seeds and oil. Turn on the heat to medium-low and let the seeds simmer slowly until the oil turns deep red and becomes fragrant (it will look and smell similar to red wine), about 20 minutes. Lower the heat slightly if the oil pops too frequently. Strain, then set aside.

2. Step 2

   Prepare the guiso: In a large pot, heat ⅓ cup of the annatto oil over medium-high. Add the pork, bacon, capers and garlic, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork and bacon crisp and some of the liquid evaporates, about 25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork mixture to a medium bowl. (Don’t discard the rendered fat.)

3. Step 3

   While that fries, add about 10 cups of hot water to a medium saucepan or pot and bring to a boil over high. Roughly chop the potatoes and carrots, then add to a food processor and pulse into small, ¼-inch pieces. Once the water is boiling, add the carrots and potatoes and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain into a colander.

4. Step 4

   Once the meat and root vegetables are done cooking, prepare the rest of the guiso. Add about ½ cup of annatto oil to the large pot and heat over medium-low. Add the onion, leek, scallions, bell peppers, ají dulce and the ½ cup dissolved chicken bouillon liquid, and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.

5. Step 5

   Stir in the reserved pork mixture along with the boiled potatoes and carrots, the chickpeas, raisins, olives, sazón, mustard, soy sauce and black pepper. Simmer over medium-low heat until the flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool before making the hallacas. (The filling can be made and refrigerated a day or two in advance.)

6. Step 6

   Prepare the banana leaves for the hallacas: Separate the smaller leaves and any ripped pieces from the larger ones. Unfold the larger leaves carefully and lay them flat on a counter. Measure and cut the leaves vertically to be about 1 foot in length. If some of your leaves are ripped, you can layer better ones underneath and use them or cut and discard the damaged pieces if they’re closer to the edge.

7. Step 7

   Prepare the masa: Add the salt and bouillon cubes to ½ cup of warm water in a large measuring cup; crumble and stir until dissolved, to ensure that the salt in the masa is evenly distributed.

8. Step 8

   In a large mixing bowl, pot or stand mixer, add the cornmeal, 6¾ cups room temperature water, the seasoned water and ¼ cup annatto oil. Mix until the masa is soft and pliable like kids' clay and turns light yellow. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel to prevent the masa from drying out and cracking.

9. Step 9

   Prepare the hallacas: Have your banana leaves, annatto oil, masa, guiso and a cup of room temperature water nearby. Take a leaf and place it in front of you with the stripes of leaf going in a diagonal direction. Using a silicone pastry brush (or even your fingers), coat the portion of the leaf that faces you with the reserved annatto oil.

10. Step 10

    Measure out ½ cup of masa and roll it into a ball. If the masa is drying out or cracking in your hands, lightly dab it with some of the water and roll until it hydrates more. Press that ball into the center of the leaf and use your three middle fingers to flatten the masa and spread it outwardly in roughly a 10-inch circle to the edges of leaves until you are just able to see the dark green color of the leaf through the masa. Leave at least 1 inch between the edge of the leaf and your masa. Press and seal any cracks you see along the edge of the masa.

11. Step 11

    Measure out a loosely packed ½ cup of your guiso and place it in the center of the flattened masa. Using a kitchen knife, push the guiso into a long, 3-inch-wide strip, leaving about 1 inch between the end of your guiso and the edge of the masa on the leaf.

12. Step 12

    Assemble your hallacas: Carefully grab the left corner of the leaf and fold it over to the right. The masa should fall gently on top, covering at least the left half of the guiso. Repeat with the right-hand side, overlapping the masa slightly in the center. With your fingers, press the ends to seal the guiso inside. If you spot any holes or gaps in the masa at the seams, you can pull a pinch more masa and mold to close them up.

13. Step 13

    Wrap the hallacas: Starting with the left corner, carefully fold the leaf over the hallaca and tuck the end underneath to create a tight hold. If the leaf does not entirely go over the hallaca, carefully lift the leaf from the bottom, pushing hallaca toward you. Gently thrust the top of the hallaca into your hand and reposition it to the center of the leaf so that the corner can fold underneath.

14. Step 14

    Once the left corner of the leaf has been tucked, take the now-sealed portion and fold it over to the right until you reach the end of the banana leaf.

15. Step 15

    Fold the open ends of the hallaca back to seal, then place the scruffy side down onto another leaf. Repeat the same folding.

16. Step 16

    Place the unkempt side down horizontally on the counter. While still attached to the roll, unfurl about one foot of cotton twine and place it underneath. Unravel a couple of inches more from the roll, but don’t cut the twine yet. Take the ends and cross them over the top and twist tightly. Flip the twine so that the ends are now in a vertical direction. Flip it over so that the bottom is now facing you and repeat until tight for extra support, up to three times. Tie it and trim the twine. Set the hallacas aside for cooking (they’ll keep, refrigerated, for up to 5 days) or freeze them for up to 4 months.

17. Step 17

    To cook them, place as many as you can in a large pot. Fill that pot with water until all the hallacas are covered. Bring the water up to a boil over high heat and cook them until firm to the touch, 10 to 12 minutes if making a few, or up to 30 minutes if cooking a large batch.

18. Step 18

    To serve, cut the twine with a scissor and unwrap the plantain leaf. (They can stay in the hot water with the lid on for up to 45 minutes, if you’d like to serve them later.) If you have extra guiso, it can be heated up and spooned on top when serving. If cooking a frozen hallaca, let it sit on the counter to defrost while you boil water. Once the water is boiling, cook the hallaca for slightly longer, about 20 minutes. If you’re reheating a hallaca you have already unwrapped, submerge it in a bowl of water and microwave it for about 4 minutes.