Harvest is in. You can smell the sultry aroma of root vegetables and corn and pumpkin and potatoes. Try this rich-tasting, fun dish in corn husk tamale wrappers. It makes a special vegetarian entrée, or an unusual side dish. Preparation can be done in advance with family and friends, and the recipe can easily be doubled. Of course you can leave out the cheese, but it really makes these tamales delicious.

We used to carry tamale corn husks, and then weren’t able to get them. Well, they’re back! Just make sure when you serve these nifty little packages that people don’t try and eat the husk. Yes, they’re high in fiber, but not the kind you can chew, much less digest!

Makes 15

4 c (2 ½ lb) diced organic yams	2 eggs, optional
2 c (1 lb) diced organic parsnips	2 c great melting cheese i.e. Applegate Havarti chopped/shredded
1 c yellow organic cornmeal	1 pk Los Chileros de
4 tb olive or macadamia nut oil	Nuevo Mexico husks
2 tsp ground cumin	Chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp sea salt

Scrub yams and parsnips. Poke with a knife, place on pan, and roast in preheated 450 degree oven for about an hour. While yams and parsnips roast, bring a large pot of water to a boil, separate corn husks and plop them into the pot. Let husks soak an hour to soften. You’ll need half the package for this recipe. Save the rest! Remove veggies from oven and peel yams. Place vegetables in a bowl and mash together with all ingredients except cheese. This will be your dough. When dough is cool, add cheese. Mix well.

Lay corn husks on counter with point side facing away from you. Use one large husk or two small ones overlapping per tamale. Put 1/3 cup dough in the middle of the corn husk and flatten slightly. Fold husk around the dough to form a packet. I do this by folding up the bottom and folding in the sides and rolling pretty tightly. If you’ve time and want a prettier presentation, take one corn husk and tear lengthwise into ribbons and tie around both ends of the tamale, which means you just fold sides in and around filling. In either case, place folded side down in an ovenproof dish from which you can also serve.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until tamale is hot, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro. Serve, hear ‘em say, “Wow!” Tamales are something different and fun. These freeze well if you want to double the recipe and freeze half or more. All you have to do is take out of freezer, thaw, heat and serve.