THE Dish: Christy Vega Fowler's tamales

(CBS News) Christy Vega Fowler is the owner of Casa Vega, a landmark Mexican restaurant in the Sherman Oaks area of California.

Vega Fowler's father, Rafael Vega, opened the restaurant in 1956 at the age of 22. Casa Vega was instantly a celebrity hangout, with regulars such as Marlon Brando and Cary Grant.

Before that, her grandparents opened Café Caliente on Olvera Street in downtown L.A. in the 1930s, making Vega Fowler the third generation Vega family member to work in the restaurant business in Los Angeles.

She graduated from Saint Mary's college with a degree in business administration and economics and took over the reins of Casa Vega four years ago when her father retired.

In 2010, Vega Fowler was named one of the "Top 40 Under 40" business professionals by the San Fernando Business Journal. She joins us with her ultimate dish, her grandmother's tamales

Sweet corn tamales

15 corn husks

3 3/4 cup of sweet corn, cut from the cob or frozen if not in season

1/2 cup of sugar

1/4 cup of flour

4 teaspoons of corn meal

3/4 cup butter

1 tsp baking powder

10 strips of cheddar cheese

10 small strips of freshly cooked, skinned and seeded Anaheim chilies (canned will work too)

1. In a large container, place the corn husks deep in hot water and cover for a couple hours until they are soft and pliable. Tip* you may need to weigh them down with an inverted plate and a heavy can to keep them submerged.

2. In a food processor, grind the corn and then add the sugar, flour, corn meal, butter and baking powder. Grind together very well making a massa.

3. Drain water from husks. One at a time, flatten out the husks with the narrow end towards you and place 3 oz of massa spread in the middle of the husk.

4. Add the strip of cheese and small strip of chili in the middle of the massa.

5.Take the left side of the husk and fold it directly over the right side. Fold the narrow bottom end of the husk onto the folded tamale. ** for parties and presentation you can tie with strip of corn husk when serving dry tamales.

6. As you are making the tamales, stand them up on their rolled ends in a prepared steamer basket. Steam over boiling water for approximately 30-40 minutes, until massa is firm and holds its shape. *tip: cover the tamales in the steamer with a layer of the left over corn husks. You can also fill empty spaces with gently wadded aluminum foil to prevent them from falling over.

7. Serve dry with tapatio and Mexican crema.

Chicken filling

1 whole, cage-free, all natural chicken- cut into pieces (keep bones on for flavor)

1 small onion, chopped into large pieces

1/2 head of fresh, minced garlic

1 tablespoon salt

1. Immerse chicken in big pot of water. Then add onions, garlic and salt. Cover and set to medium heat.

2. Boil together for 35-40 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.

3. Once chicken is fully cooked, remove from water, cool to touch and debone.

4. Shred the chicken, place in large mixing bowl.

5. Pour flavoring salsa over chicken and mix with hands.

Beef filling

2 lbs all- natural chuck tender

1 small onion

1/2 head of garlic

1 tablespoon salt

1. Immerse beef in large pot of water. Add onions, garlic and salt and bring to a boil. As soon as water boils, reduce heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Let simmer for several hours. The meat should be medium rare when it's ready and shreds easily.

2. When beef is done, remove from pot and allow to cool slightly and then shred.

3. Place shredded beef in large mixing bowl. Pour in flavoring salsa and mix with hands.

Vegetable & cheese filling

10 strips of Monterey Jack cheese

10 small strips of cooked, skinned and seeded Anaheim chili

10 green olives

1. Once masa is spread on husk add a strip of cheese, chili and green olive in the middle.

2. Fold, cook and serve same as meat tamales.

Tamales

15 corn husks

3 1/8 (25oz) massa (virgin)

1 tablespoon chili paste (recipe below) or store bough

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup water

Casa Vega chili paste

The chili paste is made with dried (no spicy/no seeds) California and dried Pasilla chilies. Soak in pot of hot water for 15 min and then grind into a paste.

1. In a large container, place the corn husks deep in hot water and cover for a couple hours until they are soft and pliable. Tip: you may need to weigh them down with an inverted plate and a heavy can to keep them submerged.

2. In an electric mixer add massa to the bowl. Then at medium-low speed add the following ingredients one at a time: chili paste, baking powder, salt, oil and water. Mix everything until it gets soft and heavy.

3. Drain water from husks. One at a time, flatten out the husks with the narrow end towards you and place 2.5oz (a little more than 1/4c- size of palm of hand) of massa on the middle of the corn husk, leaving a little more room at the bottom of the husk. Then add 1.5oz of meat filling in the middle of the massa.

4. Take the left side of the husk and fold it directly over the right side. Fold the narrow bottom end of the husk onto the folded tamal. ** for parties and presentation you can tie with strip of corn husk when serving dry tamales.

5. As you are making the tamales, stand them up on their rolled ends in a prepared steamer basket. Steam over boiling water for approximately 30-40 minutes until massa is firm and holds its shape. *tip: cover the tamales in the steamer with a layer of the left over corn husks. You can also fill empty spaces (if you have them) with gently wadded aluminum foil to prevent them from falling over.

6. In casa vega we serve them "oven-style": gently remove the tamal from the husk and plate. Cover with homemade enchilada sauce, sprinkle with cheddar & jack cheese and cook in hot oven for 2-3 min (until cheese is melted.)

7. At home we serve them dry. Let everyone unroll their own tamal and serve with tapatio and mexican crema.

Mexican crema

1 cup sour cream

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp salt to taste

Whisk in large mixing bowl. Cover and let sit at room temp for several hours. Serve or refrigerate until ready to use. Bring back to room temp before serving.

Enchilada sauce

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup flour

2 tbsp chili paste

1 cup water

1 tbsp chicken base

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1. Heat oil.

2. Add 4 tbsp flour and bring to a boil.

3. Next, add the chili paste, mix.

4. Pour in 1/2 cup cold water followed by 1/2 cup chicken broth.

5. Then in small mixing bowl, mix together the chicken base, cumin, garlic powder and remaining 1/2 cup water.

6. Pour mixture into sauce pan and simmer for 10 min

Guacamole

3 avocados

1/2 c white onion

1/2 c diced tomatoes

1 jalapeno

1/2 tsp salt

Squeeze of lime juice

Cilantro to taste

1. Peel, pit and mash avocado.

2. Add salt and mash a little more.

3. Next add onion, tomato, jalapeño, lime juice and cilantro.

4. Mix well.

Tortilla chips

Canola oil

12 corn tortillas - cut into 4's

1. Add oil in large frying pan so that it is » inches high

2. Bring to a boil

3. Add in tortillas and fry until lightly golden

4. Drain on paper towels

Casa Vega Corn Elotes (4 servings)

4 white sweet corn on the cob

1 recipe of low fat crema (below)

1/2 cup cojita cheese, finely crumbled

1/2 cup chili power or tapatio hot sauce

1 tbs salt

12 round wood sticks (8 inches long)

Water

Casa Vega low fat Crema

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp heavy cream

Pepper to taste

1. Place corn in a large pot of water and add salt

2. Cook for 45 - 60 minutes until corn is soft

3. Cut each cob into three pieces, and place wooden sticks inside the center of the cob

4. Add crema (make crema by mixing all ingredients together until smooth), using a plastic spatula and cover all around the elote

5. Sprinkle cheese all around Tip: when making a large batch, place cheese in a shallow dish and roll the elote in the cheese

6. Add chili powder or tapatio hot sauce.

Tostada chiquita (4 servings)

4 corn tortillas or store bought tostadas

1 1/2 cup shredded lettuce

2 cups refried beans

1/2 cup cooked, ground chorizo (optional)

1/2 cup beets, thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

Any vinaigrette dressing

1. In a 10" pan add one inch of oil and then heat it up to 175 degrees

2. Then dip the corn tortillas until the tortillas get crispy and brown

3. If using chorizo, in a bowl using a wooden spoon, mix the refried bean and chorizo together, if not using chorizo, simply mash up the beans.

4. To assemble the tostadas, on the bottom of a small plate add a table spoon of bean mixture.

5. Then place the tostada directly on top of the beans.

6. Add another 1-2 tablespoons of the bean mixture and spread around the center of the tostada.

7. Toss the lettuce in your favorite vinaigrette in a separate bowl, the more robust the better.

8. Then top the tostada in this order: lettuce, tomatoes, beets, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Chili relleno (makes 4 chili rellenos)

4 eggs

8oz Monterey Jack cheese

4 whole Anaheim chilies

2oz flour

2 cups canola oil

Direction

1. Separate the white and yolk from the eggs and save both for later use

2. Cut cheese in 4 strips 2oz each (3in x » in size)

3. Cook chilies directly on the flame until the skin starts to pop up and char. Be careful not to overcook them.

4. Once cooked, place in a container with cold water to soak and cool down.

5. Peel off the skin, cut the stem off, remove all seeds

6. Cut the chilies open lengthwise and place the cheese inside the chilies

7. Mix four eggs whites in a standard mixer bowl and set at high speed. Begin mixing the whites until they become stiff, solid white color and foamy.

8. Add flour and stir in the egg yolks and mix for another 5 minutes on low speed

9. Place an inch of oil into a pan and heat it up to 275 degrees

10. Using a large slotted spoon, place the prepared chilies into the batter, covering the chilies completely. Scoop them out and place in the pan with oil

11. When the chilies turn golden brown on the bottom, flip them over and cook until they're the same color on the other side.

12. Place several paper towel metal tray to absorb oil from cooked chilies

13. Top with salsa if desired.

Casa Vega Spanish rice (4 servings)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup uncooked white rice

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cups water

1 10 oz. Can diced tomatoes and green chilies

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1. Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium heat

2. Saute rice, onion, and bell pepper until rice is browned and onions are soft

3. Stir in water and tomatoes with chilies

4. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.

5. Fluff with a fork to check for doneness.

Toasted coconut sundae

Servings: 6

1 gal vanilla ice cream

1 recipe salted caramel sauce

1 recipe chocolate sauce

1 bag shredded coconut (unsweetened)

1. Spread the shredded coconut on a large cookie sheet

2. In a preheated, 350 degree oven place the cook the coconut for approximately 10 minutes until golden brown

3. Let coconut completely cool. *tip- this can be made up to 4 hrs ahead of time

4. Scoop ice cream in bowls and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

5. Drizzle chocolate and caramel sauce

Homemade caramel sauce:

1 c sugar

1/4 c water

1/2 c heavy cream, warm

2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. In heavy saucepan, combine sugar and water. Stir.

2. Heat, stirring constantly until syrup in bubbling. Stop stirring and let sit until color is deep amber.

3. Remove from heat and pour in heated cream. (it will bubble a lot)

4. Stir with wooden spoon until smooth.

5. Add in butter and salt. Stir.

6. Allow to cool for several minutes and gently stir in vanilla

Chocolate sauce

2 c semisweet chocolate chips

1 » c whipping cream

2 tsp vanilla

1. In small saucepan over low heat, combine chocolate chips and whipping cream.

2. Stir the entire time until chocolate in completely melted and smooth.

3. Add and stir in vanilla.

Blood orange - serves 1

1 1/4 oz. Patron silver tequila

1/2 oz. Blood orange mix

1/2 oz. Organic agave nectar

1/2 oz. Fresh squeezed lime juice

Wedge of a blood orange

Soda water

1. Mix together the tequila, blood orange mix, agave nectar, and lime juice in a tall glass

2. Add ice

3. Rim the glass with the blood orange wedge, and then squeeze the wedge into the drink

4. Top with soda water

5. Serve and enjoy!