Pastel de Choclo (Corn, Beef and Chicken Casserole)

by

Serves 10
Prep time: Pino 1/2 hour the night before
1 1/2 – 2 hours to make the Pastel
Approximately 30 minutes baking time.

Must start a day ahead

Pastel de Choclo is an example of Chilean criolla cuisine, combining a native product like corn with European meat. The word “choclo’ is the Mapuche name for corn. This pastel has a rather unusual topping of sugar, which caramelizes in the oven. This is very important for the authenticity of the dish.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups “Pino” Make the night before and keep in the refrigerator. (The recipe follows).
  • 2 tablespoons Olive oil
  • 8 tablespoons butter, unsalted
  • 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (A roasted chicken can be used) 16 ears fresh yellow corn, grated (See Note at end of recipe)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • salt to taste
  • 1 pinch cream of tartar
  • 3 whole hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
  • salt to taste
  • 1/3 cup confectioners sugar

Instructions

  1. Prepare “Pino’ the day before.
  2. The following day preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  3. Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of butter, add the chicken, and brown it on both sides.
  4. In a separate pan, slowly cook the grated com with 6 tablespoons of butter, stirring constantly until the mixture boils and thickens (about 5 minutes after boiling). See Note.
  5. Remove from the stove, and mix the egg yolks with the milk, and stir in. Add more milk if the mixture is too thick. Add salt to taste.
  6. Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar, to form stiff peaks and fold them into the corn mixture. Set aside.
  7. Spread the “Pino’ in an oiled baking dish (15 x 10). Arrange the sliced hard-boiled eggs and the chicken over the “Pino”. Cover all of it’ with the corn mixture. Sprinkle the corn mixture with the confectioner’s sugar.
  8. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Notes:

A roasted chicken may be used. It cuts down on time, fat and tastes the same. I prefer to take the bones out but I have many times been served the pastel with the whole pieces, bone and all in the casserole.

Frozen corn kernels, NOT canned corn, can be substituted for the fresh com. To prepare, gnind 8 cups of corn kernels in a food processor and then pass them through a vegetable strainer to remove most of the skins.

Plno for the Pastel de Choclo (Beef and Onion Filling)

Serves 10

  • 3 tablespoons butter, unsalted
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Spanish paprika (can use other sweet—not hot—paprika)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano, crushed
  • black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 2/3 cup beef stock
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 24 pitted black olives
  • salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. In a large frying pan melt half the butter with the oil and saute the onions and garlic until translucent.
  2. Add the paprika, cumin, oregano, and black pepper, set aside.
  3. In another pan, saute the beef in the remaining butter and oil; do not brown or overcook.
  4. Combine the onion and beef mixture in the larger pan.
  5. Dissolve the flour in the beef stock and add it to the mixture.
  6. Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring until thickened; the end result should be juicy.
  7. Add the raisins and olives and salt to taste. Cover and store ovemight in the refrigerator.

Notes

This filling can also be used for the Empanadas. if you are preparing the Pastel for our dinner, freeze the Pino you have leftover and try to make the Empanada Fritas with this filling at a later date.

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