Pastel de Choclo, a traditional Chilean dish, is a mouthwatering corn pie that combines the sweetness of corn with savoury meat filling. This delightful recipe is perfect for those seeking a taste of authentic Chilean cuisine.
Ingredients
For the filling
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds of ground beef
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon paprika or merkén
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup water or beef broth
3 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For the corn mash
2 tablespoons butter
10 cups frozen corn
½ cup whole milk
1 small bunch sweet basil
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Paprika or merkén
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup cold milk or water
For assembly
8 pitted black olives
16 raisins
2 hard-boiled eggs
Directions
Make the filling: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the whole package of meat at once and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Flip it over, season with salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin and cook for an additional 3 minutes. The meat should be browned.
Add the broth and simmer for 30 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally
Add the onions and mix well. Cook over medium heat until the onions are tender, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Turn off the heat. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Add the flour and stir well.
Make the corn mash: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the frozen corn and stir. Cook for 8 minutes.
Add the milk, basil, salt, pepper, and paprika or merkén or paprika, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
Puree the corn using an immersion blender or working in batches in a blender or food processor.
Do not puree it smooth, but leave some larger pieces. Add the dissolved cornstarch and continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. It will thicken slightly.
To assemble the pie
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Spread the meat in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Dot the top of the meat with the olives, raisins, and halved (or sliced) hard-boiled eggs, spacing them evenly.
Cover with the corn mixture, smooth the top with a spatula, and then sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until bubbling and golden on top. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Related
Pastel De Choclo Recipe
Ingredients
filling
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 pounds of ground beef
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 tbsp paprika or merkén
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 cup water or beef broth
- 3 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
For the corn mash
- 2 tbsp butter
- 10 cups frozen corn
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 small bunch sweet basil
- salt and pepper
- Paprika or merkén
- 1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup cold milk or water
For assembly
- 8 pitted black olives
- 16 raisins
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
Instructions
Make the filling
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the whole package of meat at once (don’t break it up), and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Flip it over, season with salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin and cook for an additional 3 minutes. The meat should be browned.
- Add the broth and simmer for 30 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally
- Add the onions and mix well. Cook over medium heat until the onions are tender, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn off the heat. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Add the flour and stir well.
Make the corn mash
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the frozen corn and stir. Cook for 8 minutes.
- Add the milk, basil, salt, pepper, and paprika or merkén or paprika, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
- Puree the corn using an immersion blender or working in batches in a blender or food processor.
- Do not puree it smooth, but leave some larger pieces. Add the dissolved cornstarch and continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. It will thicken slightly.
Assemble the pie
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Spread the meat in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Dot the top of the meat with the olives, raisins, and halved (or sliced) hard-boiled eggs, spacing them evenly.
- Cover with the corn mixture, smooth the top with a spatula, and then sprinkle with granulated sugar.
- Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until bubbling and golden on top.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.