With so many possibilities, I decided to get specific, choosing a version of Ecuadorian humitas from Maria Baez Kijac’s The South American Table, my new favorite. Lighter than the pork and chicken filled tamales I’d had before, these were made of fresh corn pureed with scallions then blended with egg yolks, milk, cheese, and a little brandy.  The filling is wrapped in corn husks and steamed then topped with ají criollo, a hot pepper sauce.  Most recipes tell you that the water content of North American corn is too high in water and too low in starch.  Kijac solves this problem by adding cornmeal to get the right consistency.

I was tempted to make them with whatever corn I found but waited for fresh, whole corn to reach the markets instead.  Once you scrape the kernels, the cobs can be used to line the bottom of the pot to create a shelf that’s lined with loose corn husks for added flavor (and Swiss Family Robinson efficiency).  I set  the wrapped humitas over the improvised steamer, covered them with the remaining husks, and brought the water to boil.  Of course, I could have used my metal steamer or added a tamalera to my precariously packed shelves.  I didn’t have to use the cobs, and won’t always, but at least this time, I wanted to.

Humitas Ecuatorianas
Adapted from The South American Table from Maria Baez Kijac.  Filling the corn husks can be tricky and the size will vary depending on the size of the husks and your stuffing skills.  I started out messy but got better as I went along.  Click here for Saveur’s guide on handling humitas.

6 to 8 ears corn (4 cups of kernels)
1/4 cup chopped scallions, white part only
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup cornmeal, or more if needed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
6 ounces Chihuahua, mozzarella, or Muenster cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon brandy
Kitchen twine, cut into 15-inch lengths
2 cups water
Ají Criollo (see recipe below)

Bring a large part of water to a boil. To remove the husks from the corn, cut through the corncob at the stem end where the kernels start.  Carefully remove the husks. Set aside the largest for wrapping and blanch in boiling water for a couple of minutes to make them more pliable. Remove from the water and set on paper towels to drain. Cut the rest of the husks into strips for tying or to cover the humitas before steaming.

Remove the silk from the corn and rinse. Cut the kernels from the cobs (you need four cups) and adding the milk scraped from the cobs. Reserve the cobs for later use. Place the corn and scallions in food processor or blender and pulse until finely ground. Add the butter, egg yolks, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, sugar, cheese, and brandy. Pulse until well incorporated and smooth. Transfer to a bowl. The mixture should be thick, not runny. Add more cornmeal, as needed,  if the batter is runny.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Carefully fold the whites into corn mixture.

To assemble the humitas, place two husks on the worktable, slightly overlapped. Place a few spoonfuls of corn batter in the center of the husks. Fold bottom edge over the mixture, fold down the top half, then fold in the sides to form a packet.  Tie with string or corn husk strips.  Repeat with remaining batter.

Place the cobs in the bottom of a large saucepan. Add the water until cobs are almost covered. Cover the cobs with the husks. Place humitas open side up over steamer. Cover with remaining husks. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Steam until the humitas feel firm to the touch, about 30 minutes for small and 45 minutes for large. Add more boiling water if needed.  Remove from heat and serve with ají criollo.  Leftovers, great for breakfast, can be reheated or pan fried.

Makes 12-16 humitas.

Ají Criollo

4 hot red or green finger peppers, 3 to 4 inches long, seeded and chopped
6 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup minced scallions
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro or parsley leaves

Place peppers, 2 tablespoons of the water, and the salt in a blender and process until smooth.

Transfer to a small bowl and add the scallions, cilantro and remaining water and mix well.

I’d been looking for a way to use chirimoyas since I came across them a few months ago in a nearby market.  Originally found in the Andean region between Peru and Ecuador, they’re also cultivated in small pockets throughout Chile, California, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, and Israel.  Heart-shaped and scaly, they could be a dragon’s paw and are almost as rare in my Brooklyn neighborhood, so I was excited when I found them.  Also known as custard apples, they’re like everything and like nothing else.  The fruit can be likened to strawberry, banana, pineapple, papaya, avocados, mango, ripe pears, and commercial bubble gum while Mark Twain described it more simply as “deliciousness itself.”

Not sure where to start, I found a Peruvian recipe for a meringue cake using chirimoyas.  I was worried that the combination of sugary meringue, manjarblanco (also known as dulce de leche) and sweetened cream would be too much.  I decided to shape the layers of meringue into smaller pavlovas to make individual desserts.  Believed to have originated in New Zealand and named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, it was a fitting choice.  After the whipping and whirring of the meringue, the crisp exterior of the meringues gave way to a mashmallowy center that mixed well with the manjarblanco.  Meanwhile, the chopped chirimoya balanced out the sweetness like a dancer who spins and flies then lands perfectly on point as though it couldn’t have ended any other way.  It was too much but just enough.

Merengues con Chirimoya/Pavlovas with Cherimoya
Adapted and translated from Yanuq from their recipe for merengado de chirimoya.  Though there are several steps, the pavlovas can be made well in advance and assembled just before serving.  Why the grated chocolate didn’t drive it all over the edge, however, I can’t explain.  I just know it worked.

1 whole chirimoya, peeled and diced (about 1 lb.)

4 egg whites, room temperature
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 tablespoon potato starch

1/2 cup manjarblanco (or dulce de leche, arequipe, cajeta)

1 cup of heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Grated bittersweet chocolate (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Using a small bottle or cup, trace 6 circles on the parchment paper, about 3″ each.  Turn paper face down on the baking sheet and set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium-high until frothy.  Combine the sugar, baking powder, and potato starch.  Gradually add the sugar mixture and continue to beat until it forms stiff peaks.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a star tip with the meringue.  Pipe a disc of meringue to fill each circle on the prepared sheet then an a additional layer along outer circle to form a border.

Place the meringues in the preheated oven and immediately lower heat to 190 degrees.  Bake for two hours occasionally rotating pans.  Remove from oven and cool on a rack.

While the meringues cool, beat the heavy cream until slightly thickened. Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue to beat until soft peaks form.

To serve, place one meringue on dessert plate.  Add about one tablespoon of manjarblanco to the center of each meringue and top with a round tablespoon of chopped chirimoya and cover with whipped cream.  If using, garnish with grated chocolate.

Though I’d love to have homemade rolls every day, I stay away from bread recipes for first thing.  They never seem to rise and bulk up in the time promised.  I wake up early and spend the morning nervously peeking at the dough I lovingly covered in its blanky and placed in a draft free place to no avail.  One hour becomes two and there’s no breakfast in sight.  By the time it’s done, I’m too cranky to really enjoy it.  I didn’t get to sleep in yet the dough enjoyed a leisurely rise.  When I came across pan de yuca or yuca bread in a Miami, I was curious.  A combination of yuca flour (also known as tapioca starch) and cheese, it can be mixed and rolled as quickly as arepas then baked off.  

Searching for online recipes, I was surprised that I hadn’t heard of them before.  Popular at snack stands throughout Latin America, they’re known as pan de queso in Colombia, pão de queijo in Brazil, and chipas in Argentina while a popular food chain sells them with yogurt throughout Ecuador.  Though the dough can be made ahead of time, I started them this morning to see if they were as straightforward as they seemed.  I combined the dry ingredients and added grated mozzarella and two yolks.  Expecting something to go wrong, the mass of crumbly powdered cheese didn’t look like it could ever become a smooth mass.  I considered transferring it to a food processor or starting over, but after adding a little cream and kneading it a few minutes, it quickly took form.  In about twenty minutes, I had warm rolls, crumbly like bread but creamy like cheese.  Mostly, I loved that I could decide to make them in the haze of the early morning then have them right away, no rest required.

Pan de Yuca
Recipe from Ingrid Hoffman for her show Simply Delicioso.

Though I used mozzarella this time, similar recipes also suggest Oaxaca, queso blanco, Parmesan, or Cotija.  While they’re great for breakfast, they’re a perfect any time snack to have with coffee, tea, hot chooclate or as a side dish for lunch or dinner.

1 cup yuca harina*
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups fresh white cheese (Oaxaca, Mozzarella or Queso Blanco), finely grated
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream, as needed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, coat with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the yuca harina and baking powder.  Stir in the grated cheese and eggs.  Mix well until a ball forms.  Turn out onto a floured board and knead with your hands until smooth.  If the dough still appears too dry, add cream one tablespoon at a time as needed.

Divide into 10 even pieces and roll into balls.  Place at least 1″ apart on prepared baking sheet.  Bake 15-20 minutes until golden.**  Cool on wire rack for 5-10 minutes.  Serve warm.

*Also known as tapioca starch/almidon de yuca/manioc starch, it’s widely available online or in Latin American markets.  It should not be confused with manioc flour used for farofa which is darker and has a grainier texture.

**I placed them under the broiler for an additional minute to brown evenly.  They will darken quickly under the broiler and should be checked frequently.

I hold take-out chicken fried rice responsible for the freshman 10 I gained in college (except it was closer to 15 and I was a senior).  While others may dabble, I know I can’t stop at a pint and have largely avoided it for years.  However, since I’m preparing to run a half-marathon this Saturday and need to eat carbohydrates covered in soy sauce, this kind of indulgence is not only permitted, it’s encouraged.  Plus, I’m stronger now.  The stars seemed to align for making my own when I found a recipe on Laylita’s recipes, one of my favorite sites, for chaulafan de pollo, a popular Latin American version of fried rice popular in Ecuador and Peru.  This is the first time I made fried rice at home and at first glance it seemed like standard take-out – chicken, peas, scallions, carrots, eggs.  It was the seasonings like achiote, chili, cilantro, and more cilantro that really set it apart.  My favorite addition though were the raisins.  Not sure how they would blend, they were like tiny, interspersed packets of plum sauce.  Served with sliced avocado as suggested, it’s the perfect light meal to enjoy in moderation.  Starting tomorrow that is, right now I just want more.

Click here for the complete recipe.

I have wanted to post this recipe for mousse de maracuya/passion fruit mousse for a couple of weeks.  Written by Layla, an Ecuadorian woman who now lives in Seattle, Laylita’s recipes is full of great ideas for recreating traditional recipes far from home.  This light mousse can be made with frozen fruit pulp as a substitute for fresh passion fruit and replaces condensed milk with heavy cream, which is perfect for the warm days ahead.  I found these edible flowers pouring out of a basket at the farmer’s market on the first clear morning we’ve had in weeks.  I thought they would make a pretty garnish to replace the fresh pulp seeds that were nowhere to be found.  I’ll definately try this again with fresh fruit, but in the meantime, it was nice to have my own bit of sun.