BAKED CORN HUMINTAS 6 fresh ears of corn (only the kernels) 1 cup skimmed milk ¾ cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons salt ½ level teaspoon ground cinnamon ¾ cup vegetable oil 2 cups grated cheese, and ½ pound sliced cheese 2 ½ cups corn flour (or corn muffin mix) Jiffy 1 tablespoon aniseed, washed ½ cup raisins (optional) Pinch of ground clove   | Advices | Grind in blender or food processor 3 cups corn kernels and 1 cup milk (do not grind too fine). Drain in a medium sized sieve, separating corn milk from ground kernels. Use corn milk to grind the rest of the corn, repeating until you grind all the corn. Pour the ground corn and the corn milk in a medium sized bowl, add the sugar, salt, cinnamon, oil, aniseed, clove, corn flour and grated cheese, and stir very well with a spatula. If you are using raisins, wash them in hot water, drain them and add to mix, stir again. Pour half of the mix into a lightly greased pan (14x10 inch, approximately), add a layer of cheese and the other half of the mix on top. Preheat oven to 400º F. and bake for 1 hour approximately or when inserting toothpick it comes out clean.

Variations Steamed humintas: Add 1 more cup flour to same mix and reduce oil a little. These humintas must have a slice of cheese inside, be wrapped in corn husks and steam cooked in a pot for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve hot. Spicy steamed humintas: Add 2 tablespoons ground red chili pepper to oil and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes.         Buy dry corns husks sold for tamales and rinse and soak them in hot water to soften them. If you use the muffin mix, reduce oil and sugar to ½ cup.