Blue corn tamales! You betcha, and this one is real goood! It is a variation of my Tamale with Potatoes and I get even better raves with this recipe. Did you know that blue corn was being served to hungry tummies many years before the nouvelle Southwestern cuisine came on the restaurant scene? It dates back over a thousand years with the Anasazi Indians. The Hopi, Navajo, and Zuni Indians of New Mexico feasted on blue corn for over 300 years and believe that the special blue gave them long life and strength. Blue corn is more than 20% higher in protein, plus higher in zinc and iron than their other corn cousins. If blue corn is not treated with alkaline, it will turn pink when cooked. The Pueblo Indians use the ash from the juniper berries to solve this problem. But you knew that anyway, didn't you? Enjoy!

Chef Bill Warren.

Prep time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

8	Anaheim chiles

1	onion, julienned

4	garlic cloves, minced

1	jalapeño chile, seeded and minced

1	carrot, julienned

1/2	pound mushrooms, sliced

2	tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

1	zucchini, julienned

2	cups nonfat plain yogurt

6	large egg whites

1	tablespoon cumin powder

3	cups corn kernels, removed from the cob

1	cup blue corn meal

1	teaspoon black pepper

4	ounces part skim milk mozzarella cheese, grated

3	ounces feta cheese, grated

1	recipes Shiitake Tomatillo Salsa (recipe follows)

6	tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Roast the Anaheim chiles over a grill, open flame, or broiler. Place in a paper or plastic bag for 10 minutes to sweat. Clean the peppers under running cool water to remove the charred skin and seeds. Set aside.
3. In a saute pan over medium high heat, saute onion until golden, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño, and carrot. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring. Add mushrooms, oregano, and zucchini; cook 2 minutes longer. Place in a separate bowl and set aside.
4. Place the yogurt, egg whites, cumin, and corn in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add to the bowl with the sauteed veggies. Add the blue corn meal, pepper, and cheeses. Mix to combine very well.
5. Lightly spray a large casserole with cooking spray. Line the bottom with the roasted chiles and pour the veggie/yogurt mixture gently into the casserole, smoothing to even the top. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a tester inserted near the center comes out almost clean. Uncover and continue to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes to toast the top and casserole is done.
6. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes before dividing into 8 equal portions.
7. Serve with Shiitake Tomatillo Salsa (recipe follows) and chopped cilantro.