Best Humitas Recipes

CREAMY CORN EMPANADAS: HUMITAS

Steps:

• Make the filling: Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook until smooth and bubbly, about 3 minutes. Add the milk slowly while whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, paying special attention to the corners of the saucepan. Add the paprika and salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the corn and parsley, return to a simmer. Scrape the filling into a bowl and cool completely before filling wrappers.
• To Form: Moisten the edges of 1 of the empanada wrappers with a fingertip dipped in warm water. Center a generous 1/3-cup of the filling on the wrapper. Bring the sides of the wrapper together to meet over the filling and pinch the sides together to seal and form a half-moon shape. Lay the half-moon flat on the work surface. Work you way around the edges, bringing about 1/2-inch of the bottom layer of dough up and over the top layer, to make a mini-pleat. Press as you go to seal the pleats. If you don't want to mess with crimping, just seal the edges all the way around with the tips of the tines of a fork.
• Fry the Empanadas: (empanadas may also be baked; see Note below): Pour enough vegetable or canola oil into a large heavy skillet to fill about 3/4-inch up the sides. Heat over medium heat until the tip of the handle of a wooden spoon immersed in the oil gives off a lively sizzle, about 375 degrees F. Carefully slip as many of the empanadas into the oil as will fit without crowding. Cook until the dough is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip and repeat. Drain briefly on paper towels before serving. Repeat with remaining empanadas.
• Note: To bake empanadas, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or use a nonstick baking sheet. Bake until the empanadas are light golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool a few minutes before serving.

HUMITAS CHILENAS

Steps:

• Begin by gently husking the corn. Reserve the larger, outer leaves for wrapping the humitas. Slice the corn from the cobs with a sharp knife, and reserve the cobs. Grind the corn kernels in a food processor (or chop by hand) into pieces the size of a grain of rice; pour into a large mixing bowl, and set aside.
• Melt the lard in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook until the onion has softened, and turned clear. Stir in serrano peppers, green chiles, and red pepper; cook until softened. Stir the peppers into the corn, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the milk, then fold in basil, tomatoes, and Manchego cheese.
• Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a large pot; fill a separate container with cold water. Dunk the corn husks into the boiling water for about 10 seconds to soften. Once soft and pliable, immediately dunk them into the cold water, then drain and set aside. Discard the boiling water.
• Form the humitas by placing a few tablespoons of the mixture onto the bottom of a large husk (or two smaller husks overlapped). Form a packet by folding the bottom over once, then fold in the sides, and continue rolling into a packet. Tie with smaller strips of corn husk, or kitchen twine. Repeat until all of the filling is used.
• To cook humitas, Place four corn cobs pointing top to bottom, into the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Arrange the remaining four cobs pointing left to right. This will form a platform for steaming the humitas. Pour about 2-inches of water into the pan, then arrange the humita packets on top of the corn cobs. Cover the pot, and bring water to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium, and steam for 1 hour.

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.

HUMITAS (SEASONED CORN PUREE)

Steps:

• Combine corn kernels, milk, eggs and salt in processor or blender and puree.
• Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent.
• Add chilies and corn mixture. Stir over low heat until the corn mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Add cheese and stir until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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.

CREAMY CORN EMPANADAS: HUMITAS

Steps:

• Make the filling: Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook until smooth and bubbly, about 3 minutes. Add the milk slowly while whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, paying special attention to the corners of the saucepan. Add the paprika and salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the corn and parsley, return to a simmer. Scrape the filling into a bowl and cool completely before filling wrappers. To Form: Moisten the edges of 1 of the empanada wrappers with a fingertip dipped in warm water. Center a generous 1/3-cup of the filling on the wrapper. Bring the sides of the wrapper together to meet over the filling and pinch the sides together to seal and form a half-moon shape. Lay the half-moon flat on the work surface. Work you way around the edges, bringing about 1/2-inch of the bottom layer of dough up and over the top layer, to make a mini-pleat. Press as you go to seal the pleats. If you don't want to mess with crimping, just seal the edges all the way around with the tips of the tines of a fork. Fry the Empanadas: (empanadas may also be baked; see Note below): Pour enough vegetable or canola oil into a large heavy skillet to fill about 3/4-inch up the sides. Heat over medium heat until the tip of the handle of a wooden spoon immersed in the oil gives off a lively sizzle, about 375 degrees F. Carefully slip as many of the empanadas into the oil as will fit without crowding. Cook until the dough is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip and repeat. Drain briefly on paper towels before serving. Repeat with remaining empanadas. Note: To bake empanadas, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or use a nonstick baking sheet. Bake until the empanadas are light golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool a few minutes before serving.

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.

ARGENTINIAN HUMITAS

Steps:

• Remove the husks from the corn; try to keep each husk intact, the large ones will be used as wrappers for the humitas and the smaller ones will be ripped into long strips to tie around the humitas.
• To help make the corn husks more pliable place them in a pot of boiling water for a couple of minutes, then drain the water and save the husks until ready to use.
• Remove the silky hairs from the corn and use a knife to cut the corn kernels from the cob, if you don't have a steamer save the cobs to use as a steamer.
• Place the corn kernels, 1 cup of cheese, diced onions, crushed garlic, ground coriander, corn meal, cream, eggs, and salt in the food processor, mix until the corn is pureed.
• In large deep pot place about 2 ½ cups of water and a steamer, the water should be just below the steamer, if you don't have a steamer arrange the cobs on the bottom of the pan instead and cover them with some of the leftover husks.
• To fill each humita, use 1 large corn husk per humita. Hold the husk in one hand, then place a good scoop of dough in the center. Add some of the remaining cheese. Wrap the bottom (skinny end) of the husk up, then bring the left and righ sides over to make a compact packet. The top will be open. It will look like a little burrito! Use the thin strips of husk to tie around the wrapper and keep it closed. The top stays open. These are Argentinian tamales!
• Place the humitas in the pot on top of the steamer, I like to keep them slightly inclined with the open end on top. Place any leftover husks on top and cover well. Place the pot on the stove over high heat until you hear the water boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 35-40 minutes, the cooked humitas will be slightly firm to firm when they are done.
• Serve warm with aji de tomate de arbol or tree tomato hot sauce.

HUMITAS (SEASONED CORN PUREE)

Steps:

• Combine corn kernels, milk, eggs and salt in processor or blender and puree. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add chilies and corn mixture. Stir over low heat until the corn mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Add cheese and stir until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

HUMITAS

Steps:

• 1. Have a large pot of water boiling. remove the husks. Select the largest for wrapping and blanch in the boiling water for a couple of minutes to make them more pliable. drain, save rest to cut into strips for tying or to cover the humitas before steaming. 2.remove the silk from the corn and rinse. Use the knife to cut the kernels from the cobs (you need 4 cups). Place in a food processor or blender along with the scallions and process until finely ground. Add the butter, egg yolks, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, sugar, cheese, and brandy. Pulse until everything is well incorporated and smooth. Transfer to a large bowl; the mixture should be thick, not runny. Add more cornmeal if the batter is runny. 3. Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Carefully fold just enough into the corn mixture until it mounds. 4. To assemble the humitas, dry the cornhusks and place 2 on the worktable, overlapping them a little. Place a heaping 1/2 cup corn batter on the lower half of the husks, fold the left side over the center, fold the pointed end over, and finally fold the right side over toward the center. Tie around the middle with twine or cornhusk strips. 5. Place a quarter in the bottom of a steamer, add the water, and line the steamer basket with small cornhusks. Place a few humitas standing open end up in the steamer. Cover with leftover husks and a clean kitchen towel. Place the cover on the pot, bring to a boil, and steam until the humitas feel firm to the touch, about 30 minutes if small, 45 minutes if large. Add more boiling water if needed (the quarter will stop making noise when all the water has evaporated).

HUMITAS ECUATORIANAS

Steps:

• Quítale las hojas verdes y el pelo al elote, teniendo cuidado de que las hojas queden enteras. Desecha el pelo. Escalda las hojas en una olla grande con agua hirviendo durante 1 minuto. Sácalas del agua y escúrrelas.
• Corta los granos de maíz al elote. Coloca la mitad de los granos y las cebollas en la licuadora; tápala. Mézclalos a velocidad media hasta obtener una consistencia homogénea. Vierte la mezcla en un recipiente grande. Coloca el resto de los granos, la mantequilla, el polvo para hornear, los huevos y la harina de maíz en la licuadora; tápala. Mezcla hasta que la consistencia sea homogénea. Agrégaselos al puré de maíz que quedó en el recipiente. Incorpora el queso. (La masa quedará espesa pero no se endurecerá.)
• Coloca 2 de las hojas de maíz sobre la superficie de trabajo de modo que queden un poco superpuestas a lo largo. Con una cuchara, coloca 1/4 taza del puré de maíz sobre la mitad inferior de las hojas; dobla la parte superior sobre el relleno. Dóblalas por la mitad de izquierda a derecha y, luego, de derecha a izquierda. (Debe quedar abierto uno de los extremos de cada humita.) Repite estos pasos con 34 de las hojas de maíz restantes y el resto del puré de maíz. Amárralas con tiritas delgadas hechas con las hojas de maíz restantes de modo que no se abran los lados que doblaste.
• Llena una olla grande con 2 tazas de agua. Forra el cesto de cocción al vapor con la mitad de las hojas de maíz restantes; coloca el cesto en la olla. Coloca las humitas verticalmente dentro del cesto con sus extremos abiertos hacia arriba; cúbrelas con el resto de las hojas. Ponle la tapa a la olla. Haz que hierva el agua a fuego alto. Reduce el fuego a bajo; déjalas cocer al vapor por 30 minutos o hasta que estén firmes.