Humitas South American Tamales Recipes

HUMITAS - SOUTH AMERICAN TAMALES

Steps:

• Cut corn off the cobs, saving cobs and husks.
• Take the largest husks, put into a pan of boiling water to soften.
• Heat the butter in a pan, add the onion, and cook until soft.
• Add the tomato, salt and pepper, and sugar and cook for 5 to 6 minutes.
• Add the corn, milk and eggs and cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove the husks from the water and dry.
• Place 3 tablespoons of the corn mixture on the center of each husk.
• Fold the sides of the husks over to form a small package (using two leaves if needed), tie with kitchen string.
• Place cobs in the bottom of the pot of boiling water and place the humitas on top of the cobs.
• Cover pot and steam for 30 minutes.
• Serve hot.

HUMITAS - SOUTH AMERICAN CORN PUDDING

Steps:

• Thaw corn and place in food processor.
• Puree corn, milk, eggs, sugar, salt, pepper and chilies.
• Saute onion in butter until soft.
• Add squash and bell pepper.
• Cook over low heat stirring frequently for 20 minutes until squash is cooked.
• Add corn mixture and continue to cook until it thickens slightly about 5 minutes.
• Add cheese, remove from heat and serve.

SOUTH AMERICAN CORN PACKETS

Steps:

• Carefully shuck corn, individual husk by husk, keeping husks as intact as possible and cutting stem as necessary to release. Reserve husks. (You will need 20 to 25 of the widest husks for making humitas, and about 12 more for making ribbons and lining steamer.) Remove and discard silk. Stand a box grater in a pie plate or wide bowl and, using largest holes, grate enough corn from cobs to measure 2 cups, including liquid. Reserve cobs for steaming humitas.
• Submerge husks in a wide 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling water using tongs, then turn off heat, leaving husks in water until ready to use.
• Mince white and pale green parts of scallions and separately mince 2 tablespoons of scallion greens.
• Heat butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté bell pepper, chile, and white and pale green parts of scallions, stirring with a wooden spatula, until softened and pale golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in salt, cinnamon, and grated corn (including liquid) and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Whisk together milk and eggs in a small bowl, then stir into corn mixture and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to hold its shape and resembles very loose scrambled eggs, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer mixture to a bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool to room temperature. Stir in scallion greens.
• Make about 25 ribbons from narrowest husks by tearing husks lengthwise into long 1/2-inch-wide strips.
• Pat 4 or 5 husks dry and arrange, cupped sides up, on a kitchen towel with wider ends of husks nearest you. Put about 2 tablespoons of corn filling in middle of 1 husk. Fold sides over filling to enclose, then fold bottom end up over filling and fold narrower top end down over bottom (narrow end may reach around to back of package). Tie package closed with a corn husk ribbon. Repeat with remaining husks (4 or 5 at a time), filling, and ribbons.
• Lay reserved cobs in horizontal layers in bottom of a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot (do not pack tightly), cutting some in half if necessary to make an even shelf on which to steam humitas. Add enough water to almost cover cobs, then arrange some of remaining husks in a layer over cobs. Stand humitas upright on husks and cover with another layer of husks. Bring water to a boil, then cover pot and steam humitas, adding more water if necessary, until filling is firm and separates easily from husk when opened (test one), about 40 minutes.

ECUADORIAN HUMITAS

Steps:

• Remove green husks and silk from corn, being careful to keep husks whole. Discard silk. Place husks in large pot of boiling water and blanch 1 minute. Remove from water; drain.
• Cut kernels off cobs. Place half of the kernels and onions in blender container; cover. Blend on medium speed until smooth. Pour into large bowl. Place remaining corn kernels, butter, baking powder, eggs and cornmeal in blender container; cover. Blend until smooth. Add to corn puree in bowl. Stir in cheese. (Batter will be thick but not stiff.)
• Place 2 of the corn husks on work surface, with long sides slightly overlapping. Spoon 1/4 cup of the corn puree onto bottom half of the husks; fold the top of the husks over the filling. Fold in half from the left side, then fold in half again from the right side. (One end of each humita should remain open.) Repeat with 34 of the remaining corn husks and remaining corn puree. Keep folded ends in place by tieing closed with thin strips of the remaining corn husks.
• Fill a large pot with 2 cups water. Line steamer basket with half of the leftover corn husks; place in pot. Stand the humitas, open ends up, in the basket; cover with the remaining corn husks. Cover the pot with a lid. Bring water to boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low; steam 30 minutes or until humitas are firm.