Recipe: Seasonal Easter Humitas
- Words by Peppermint
We could barely contain our joy when we stumbled upon The Fruitful Kitchen β beautifully designed little cookbooks printed in small quantities in Melbourne, using only recycled and FSC papers. With each book containing 13 eclectic, mostly vegetarian recipes featuring seasonal produce, the aim of their delicious game is to get people excited about each season. Written and photographed by Rachel Pitts and designed and illustrated by Nicole Stewart, you can snap the books up here β and in the meantime, have a taster with this traditional South American Easter recipe that’ll jazz up any entertainer’s table.Β
After trying this dish at a local Argentinean restaurant, I vowed to recreate it. Humitas is the name for South American corn cakes steamed inside corn husks (similar to Mexican tamales), but in Argentina it can also be a vegetable stew, and is traditionally served at Easter. The dish always has corn; sometimes pumpkin. I made it true to the original the first time, and then the second time I couldnβt help myself, I slipped in some beans too (and made a few other small changes, such as adding lime juice). The beans werenβt at all offensive β another texture like the corn kernels suspended in the creamy pumpkin. You can serve humitas just on its own with bread to mop it up, or it makes a brilliant side dish.
Ingredients (serves 6)
2 tablespoons of butter
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
500g pumpkin, skinned, seeded and chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
Β½ teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika, plus extra to serve
Β½ teaspoon ground cumin
Generous pinch of chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt
3β4 corn cobs, kernels sliced off
190 ml (ΒΎ cup) milk
Large handful of green beans, cut into 1β2 cm pieces (optional)
Juice of Β½ lime (or equivalent lemon)
Chopped basil or parsley
Method
Heat the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion. Saute until lightly golden, then add the garlic and fry for another minute or so. Add the pumpkin, tomato, spices and salt, plus enough water to just cover. Cover with a lid and simmer for around 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft and starting to break up.
Add the corn kernels and milk and continue to cook for another 10β15 minutes, by which time the pumpkin will almost be a puree. If using beans, add them for the last 5β10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt (and pepper) if desired. Stir in most of the basil or parsley. Serve hot or warm, sprinkled with the remaining basil or parsley, and with a little extra paprika.
EXTRACT TAKEN FROM ‘THE FRUITFUL KITCHEN β AUTUMN’,Β AVAILABLE ONLINE AND FROM SELECT BOOKSHOPS.
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
Brighten up your inbox with our not-too-frequent emails featuring Peppermint-related news, events, competitions and more!
explore
MoreΒ articles
When you hang a painting on a wall, the story stays put. But when you wear a beautifully made garment that may as well be a piece of art? The story travels. It moves through the world with you β…
We all do it: fire up the car for a 5-minute drive to pick up groceries, drop off sewing supplies, or run a quick errand…
Hereβs a question: who decided that natural fibres arenβt a great fit in activewear? For Geraldton mum-of-four Jade Payne, that question became paramount after a…
Fancy a getaway in a heritage building that was once a hospital, an orphanage AND a school in a previous life? Despite what your initial…
When the algorithm gods reward dance trends over hand-thrown ceramics, and building a website feels more stressful than a tax return, whereβs a maker to…
Time-travelling lungfish floating in a mosaic of glass tiles, a four-breasted female empowerment goddess cast in bronze, and a striking botanical sculpture spanning 15 metres,…
Hang out with us on Instagram
βCrafting is something that has come naturally since I was small and I just havenβt stopped. When I was smaller, I was interested in the end result. As Iβve gotten older, I realise itβs the process that keeps me coming back to craft. Itβs a meditative state for me and I find the repetitive action of the stitching and felting quite therapeutic.ββ
β
Craving a world filled with warmth and whimsy? Itβs all in a dayβs work for textile artist @Cat_Rabbit, whose latest book, βTrinketsβ, is bursting with felty food friends to make and cherish. Cat invited us into her universe, filled with cheeky characters, layered storytelling and loads of humour. β
β
Plus: try the super sweet pattern for Catβs Lucky Pickle, perfect to make as a stocking stuffer, extracted from Trinkets. β
β
Read more from our βJust felt rightβ feature in Issue 64, at newsagents and stockists now!β
β
Photos: Tatanja Ross @On_JacksonStreet and Cat Rabbitβ
β
#PeppermintMagazine #CatRabbit #LuckyPickle #Craft #Crafting #Felting #FeltCrafts #Trinkets #ChristmasDecorations
Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the Bondi Beach violence, especially the Jewish community. Also to the beachgoers, those who bravely helped and the first responders.β
β
While it`s easy β and understandable β to get caught up in the horror of it all and direct anger at certain groups, remember this quote from teacher and author Erin Gruwell: "Don`t let the actions of a few determine the way you feel about an entire group."β
β
βYou don`t fight racism with racism. You fight racism with solidarity," said Bobby Seale of the Black Panthers. And solidarity is exactly what we need right now.β
β
If you are feeling overwhelmed, you are not alone. Remember there is much more kindness in the world than hate. β€οΈβπ©Ήβ
β
@LifelineAustralia has created a Bondi Beach Incident: Wellbeing support guide, where youβll find information about common reactions, reassurance that what youβre feeling is valid, and ideas for taking care of your wellbeing.β
β
https://lifeline.org.au/bondi-incidentβ
β
You can also call Lifeline on 13 11 14, text on 0477 13 11 14 or chat at lifeline.org.au/crisis-chat anytime, no matter how this has impacted you.β
β
@BeyondBlueOfficial is also available with free 24/7 support by phone on 1300 22 4636 or webchat at https://www.beyondblue.org.au/β
β
Register.Find.Reunite. has been activated by @RedCrossAu to help people reconnect with family and friends. Visit redcross.org.au to access the service.β
β
@NSWPolice Public Information and Inquiry Centre (PIIC) is operating 24/7 on 1800 227 228 for information relating to people impacted.β
β
@LifeBloodAu is supporting Sydney hospitals. O- and O+ blood are always in high demand in emergencies. To donate (from anywhere in Australia β all states are welcome and helpful!) call 13 14 95 or use the Lifeblood app.
Just a reminder⦠from @SugarHouseCeramicCo
This holiday season be kind, patient and shop local!
#ShopSmall #ShopLocal #SupportSmallBusiness
β¨οΈ Our website is getting a glow-up! β¨οΈβ
β
Sorry for the inconvenience but it will be offline for a few days. You can still purchase subscriptions (perfect for chrissy presents!) via the links on the holding page.β
β
Last year we were extremely excited to receive funding from the Meta Australian News Fund, in partnership with the Walkley Foundation. The result of this is a fabulous new website, with a sustainable fashion and sewing directory that will follow early next year. We`ve worked with the lovely Amy and Jenny at @CrumpetClubHouse who have been making the magic happen β we can`t wait to show you the outcome! β¨οΈβ
β
In the meantime, please get in touch if you need help with anything β hello@peppermintmag.com β
β
We`ll see you on the other side! π
π 12 DAYS OF XMAS GIVEAWAYS πβ
β
πOn the 12th day of Christmas, weβre giving awayβ¦ a GREENPAN FROST ICE CREAM & FROZEN DRINK MAKER! πβ
β
Ice, ice, baby! Calling all kitchen magicians and dessert devotees: itβs time to churn, blend and devour your way to frozen heaven. Itβs our final giveaway β and hoo girl, itβs a goodie! Thanks to the clever folks at @TheOriginalGreenPan.Anz, one reader will cool their mitts on the Frost Ice Cream & Frozen Drink Maker β perfect for conjuring up home-made gelato, sorbet, smoothies, slushies and more!
Valued at $599, the Frost Ice Cream & Frozen Drink Maker is designed with GreenPanβs signature Thermolonβ’ ceramic non-stick coating, so you can whip up summer-ready sweet treats free of PFAS, PFOA, lead and cadmium.
To snag this frosty prize, follow @TheOriginalGreenPan.Anz and tag a friend in the comments below before midday AEST 15 December! (Australian and New Zealand addresses only, please.) Good luck!
Update: The lucky winner of our final giveaway is @just__for__van - congrats! We`ll dm to get your details. Well done! π
β
#PeppermintMagazine #12DaysOfChristmas #12DaysOfGiveaways #GreenPan
Oh hey ππΌ Just a little reminder that our subscriptions are sent in paper envelopes, which is a bit of a rarity in our industry. π
πΌβ
β
If you need more reasons to subscribe, how about these:β
β
π Enjoy a new issue arriving in your letterbox every six months.β
π Subscribers exclusively receive FOUR digital sewing patterns per year!β
π Youβll be the first to get your hands (and needles) on our patterns with early access.β
π Get a 20% discount code on back issues of Peppermint so you can start your collection today!β
π Automatically go in the draw to win amazing prizes each issue.β
π Feel good about your subscription arriving in plastic-free postage.β
π Support a small, women-led Australian business.β
π Help us make the world a better place!β
β
And... it`s a perfect Christmas present! We have a downloadable card you can print to go with your gift. β
β
π Link in bio!β
β
#PeppermintMagazine #SupportSmallBusiness #ShopLocal #ShopSustainable #PlasticFree β
