Recipe: Corn And Beef Casserole And Humitas

Image Credit to : enmicocinahoy

Let’s admit it corn and beef casserole is a dish everyone can enjoy especially for a late-night supper. What most of us don’t know is that when you add Humitas, which is a South American steamed corn cake; it elevates the dish into another level.

Here is how you can take your corn and beef casserole to another level by adding Humitas.

Ingredients:

(Casserole filling)

• 1 pound of minced meat
• 1 can of corn, drained
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 can of tomato sauce
• ½ cup of Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon of chilli powder
• Salt

(Casserole crust)

• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• ½ cup of cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 cup of shredded cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• ½ cup of milk
• ¼ cup of butter
• Salt

(Humitas)

• 3 cups of corn kernels
• 1 cup of white cornflour
• 6 tablespoons ofbutter
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 cup of vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 cups of Queso Fresco
• Cleaned banana leaves
• Salt

Cooking Method:

1. Add all the ingredients of the Humitas except for the banana leaves in a bowl and mix well in a food processor.
2. Scoop about 3 tablespoons of humitas mixture and place securely it on the banana leaves. Place the humitas in a steamer and let it steam for about 30 to 40 minutes.
3. Heat a pan on medium heat and cook the meat until it is brown then add all the remaining ingredients for the casserole fillings for another 5 minutes before setting it aside.
4. To make the crust, combine the flour, baking powder, cornmeal salt and sugar with ½ cup of cheese and continuously fold the mixture until evenly combined. Slowly add in butter until the mixture turns into coarse crumbs then slowly stir in the milk and egg until you get a smooth batter.
5. Spread the crust mixture in a baking pan that is already sprayed with greasing oil or butter. Pour the casserole filling into the pan and bake it in an oven at 200°C for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the filling starts to simmer. Sprinkle ½ cup of remaining cheese on the casserole and bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese melts.
6. Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes and serve it in individual bowls with the humitas on the side. Enjoy the casserole by using the humitas to grab all the tasty fillings.