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1. Shuck the corn carefully so that the husks do not tear, dropping the husks into a large pot of cold water as you proceed. Spread the husks on paper towels to drain, pat them completely dry with fresh towels, and set aside.
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2. Pull off and discard the cornsilk, then cut the kernels from the cops with a sharp knife and discard the cobs.
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3. Place about one third of the corn kernels in the jar of an electric blender and blend at low speed for 30 seconds. Turn off the machine, scrape down the sides of the jar with a rubber spatula, and blend again until the corn is a rough puree.
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4. Scrape the puree into a deep bowl, and blend the remaining corn in two batches,following the same procedure. Add the cheese, chilies, 1 teaspoon of the saltand the white pepper to the corn puree, mix well, and set aside.
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5. In a deep bowl, cream the lard by beating and mashing it against the sides of the bowl with the back of a large spoon until the lard is light and fluffy. Add the remaining teaspoon of salt, then peat in the masa harina by the cupful.
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6. Stirring the mixture constantly with a spoon, pour in the 2 cups of warm water in a slow, thin stream; continue to beat for 4 or 5 minutes, until a soft, moist dough is formed.
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7. To assemble each green corn tamale, spread out one of the cornhusks on a flat surface. The husk should be at least 4 inches wide; if necessary, place two cornhusks side by side, overlapping them to achieve the proper width.
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8. Place 2 tablespoons of the masa harina dough on the husk close to one long edge and 2 or 3 inches from the wide bottom end.
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9. With a spatula or the back of a fork, flatten the dough into a rectangle about 2 inches wide and 3 inches long and mound 2 tablespoons of the corn-chili mixture on top of it.
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10. Fold the long sides of the husk over the filling, then turn up and overlap the ends.(At thisstage the tamales may be wrapped in foil and kept in the freezer for up to 2 or 3 months. Defrost the tamales before cooking them.)
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11. To cook the tamales, stack them in layers, seam side down, in a large colander. Set the colander inside a deep pot and pour enough water into the pot to come to within an inch of the bottom of the colander.
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12. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover the pot tightly and reduce the heat to low. Steam the tamales for 1 hour, keeping the water at a slow boil and replenishing it with boiling water as it evaporates.
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13. Lift the tamales from the colander with tongs, arrange them attractively on a heated platter and serve at once.
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