Zapappy

Name: Humitas
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Chilean
Ingredients: 12 large ears, about 4½ lb whole, yielding about 7 cups or 2¾ lb kernels, Keep the husks intact; preferably use mature, large-kernel corn.; 6 quarts, For softening the husks and simmering the parcels.; 8 lengths, each 24 inches, Use unwaxed, food-safe cotton twine.; 3 tbsp, Rendered pork lard.; 2 cups, Finely diced.; 2 tsp, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided.; 7 cups, about 2¾ lb, Fresh kernels cut from the ears listed above.; 1 packed cup, Fresh leaves, packed.; ¾ cup, Use whole milk for the intended richness and consistency.; ½ tsp, Freshly ground.

Cooking

Ingredients

Corn husks

12 large ears, about 4½ lb whole, yielding about 7 cups or 2¾ lb kernels, Keep the husks intact; preferably use mature, large-kernel corn.
6 quarts, For softening the husks and simmering the parcels.
8 lengths, each 24 inches, Use unwaxed, food-safe cotton twine.

Corn and basil filling

3 tbsp, Rendered pork lard.
2 cups, Finely diced.
2 tsp, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided.
7 cups, about 2¾ lb, Fresh kernels cut from the ears listed above.
1 packed cup, Fresh leaves, packed.
¾ cup, Use whole milk for the intended richness and consistency.
½ tsp, Freshly ground.

Directions

Prepare and soften the husks

Working carefully on a {{tool:cutting-board}} so the husks remain intact, peel broad sheets from fresh corn. Select the 16 largest, least torn husks for wrapping and reserve 4 additional intact husks for limited reinforcement or patching. Remove and discard the silk, then use a {{tool:chef-knife}} to cut the kernels from the cobs and measure 7 cups (about 2¾ lb / 1.25 kg).
Bring water to a boil in a {{tool:large-heavy-pot}}. Submerge the reserved husks, pressing them beneath the water with a spoon, and blanch for 2 minutes until supple and brightened but not disintegrating. Transfer to a {{tool:colander}}, rinse briefly under cool water, and drain well. Reserve the pot of water off the heat.

Make the filling

Melt lard in a 12-inch (30 cm) {{tool:large-skillet}} over medium-low heat. Add yellow onion and ½ tsp (1.5 g) of kosher salt. Cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally with a {{tool:wooden-spoon}}, until completely tender and translucent but not browned, then remove from the heat.
Set a {{tool:box-grater}} over a {{tool:large-bowl}} and grate about two-thirds of corn kernels on its large holes, capturing all the pulp and liquid. Pulse the remaining kernels with basil leaves in a {{tool:food-processor}} for 8–10 one-second pulses, scraping the bowl once, until coarsely ground rather than puréed. Combine with the grated corn.
Stir the cooked onion and lard, whole milk, black pepper, and the remaining 1½ tsp (4.5 g) salt into the corn. Return the mixture to the skillet and cook over medium-low heat for 8–12 minutes, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom. It is ready when visibly thickened, no longer watery, and a spoon drawn across the pan leaves a clear trail for 2–3 seconds; the mixture should mound softly on the spoon. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes.

Fold and tie the humitas

Place two softened husks on the work surface with their wide ends overlapping by about 3 inches (7.5 cm) to form a broad cradle. If a cradle is narrow or split, use two of the 4 reserved husks crosswise beneath it; because only 4 reinforcement husks are reserved, reinforce no more than 2 parcels this way and retain any unused husks for patching. Spoon a generous ¾ cup (about 200 g) filling lengthwise into the center, leaving at least 2 inches (5 cm) clear at each end.
Fold the long sides snugly over the filling, one over the other. Fold the narrow top and bottom ends inward to make a compact rectangular parcel, patching any opening with an unused reserved husk. Repeat to make 8 parcels.
Set two parcels side by side with their folded seams facing one another. Tie one piece of cotton kitchen twine firmly around their middles in a figure-eight without squeezing out the filling. Wrap a second piece crosswise around the pair and knot it. Repeat to make 4 tied pairs.

Simmer gently

Return the husk-blanching water to a boil. Lower the paired humitas into the pot, ensuring the water covers them by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm). Set a {{tool:heatproof-plate}} over them if needed to keep them submerged. Bring the water back just to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer with steady small bubbles.
Cover partially and simmer for 35–45 minutes, using {{tool:tongs}} to turn the pairs once halfway through. They are done when the husks are fragrant and olive-green, the parcels feel firm and plump, and filling exposed at the edge of a test parcel is cohesive and tender rather than loose or milky. If it is still wet, retie the parcel and simmer for another 5–10 minutes.
Lift the humitas from the water with the tongs and drain for 5 minutes. Cut the twine between each pair and serve hot in their husks.