Chilean Pastel de Choclo
Pastel de choclo, a beloved dish cherished across South America, presents a delectable blend of flavors and textures. At its heart lies ‘pino,’ a savory amalgamation of ground meat sautéed with aromatic South American spices and onions. The golden corn, expertly infused with the vibrant essence of fresh basil leaves, undergoes a tantalizing caramelization in the oven.
While traditional iterations feature tantalizing inclusions such as olives, boiled eggs, and succulent cooked chicken, we embrace the spirit of simplicity. Feel free to forgo these fillings, crafting a delightful vegetarian rendition that’s every bit as scrumptios.
Elevate Your Pies and Casseroles with Corn Paste Delight
When we enter the season of fall and Thanksgiving, there’s no better time to savor the rich flavors of corn in a whole new way. We’re excited to introduce you to a unique and delicious culinary experience that will elevate your autumn feasts. Discover how to create a delectable corn-based paste using corn, milk, and fresh basil leaves, and make it a standout addition to your holiday menu.
How to Make it
- Prepare a Corn-Basil Paste: Start by blending fresh corn kernels, milk, and fragrant basil leaves until you achieve a smooth, creamy paste.
2. Cook to Perfection: Heat a skillet, add a generous knob of butter, and gently cook your corn-based paste until it reaches a luscious, golden consistency. The aroma alone will have your taste buds dancing!
How to Use it
Savory Pie or Casserole: Use your corn-based paste as a delectable top layer on your savory pie filling or casserole. It’s the perfect way to infuse a burst of flavor into your favorite autumn dishes.
A Touch of Sweetness: If you have a sweet tooth, try spreading a thin layer of sugar on top of your corn-based paste before baking. This transforms it into a harmonious blend of sweet and savory that will leave your guests craving more.
Enhance the 'Pino' Filling with Creative Variations
Opt for a Veggie Twist: Replace some or all of the ground meat with finely chopped vegetables like root vegetables, eggplants, zucchini, or mushrooms. This not only adds a burst of color but also a healthy, savory dimension to your filling.
Olive Swap: Ditch the black olives and switch them for the briny goodness of green olives. Their unique flavor will infuse a delightful contrast into your dish.
Carrot Elegance: Elevate your filling by introducing thinly sliced carrots to the ground meat. These vibrant orange specks will not only bring a hint of sweetness but also a beautiful crunch.
Double Layers of Delight: Enhance your ‘Pino’ even further by adding a layer of cooked, boneless, and skinless shredded chicken on top of the ground meat. This addition adds an extra layer of richness and protein to your dish.
Chilean Pastel de Choclo
Ingredients
Corn Paste Topping
- 2 lb corn kernels
- 8 large leaves fresh basil
- milk
- 1 tbsp butter
- salt
Pino Filling - Cooking
- oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 lb ground beef or poultry or mixed
Pino Filling - Assemble & Finish
- 1 cup black olives pitted
- 2 hard-boiled eggs sliced
- raisins optional
- sugar
Pastel de Choclo Culinary Spice Kit
- Aji panca, cumin
Suggested Sides
- fresh side salad
Instructions
Corn Paste Topping
- In a FOOD PROCESSOR, mix corn and basil with a little milk into a creamy paste.
- In a POT, cook the corn paste with butter and salt to taste over low heat for about 20 minutes until it thickens. Stir frequently.
Pino Filling - Cook
- In a PAN, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat.
- Fry onions until they turn translucent.
- Add meat, Pastel de Choclo spices, and salt to taste.
- Stir-fry meat until it’s crumbled and cooked. Set aside.
Pino Filling - Assemble & Finish
- Coat a BAKING DISH with oil.
- Fill it in layers, starting with the meat, add eggs, olives, and optional raisins.
- Finish with a thick layer of the corn paste.
- Sprinkle the top thinly with sugar.
Bake
- Preheat OVEN to 350°F.
- Bake the pastel de choclo in the OVEN until the sugar turns brown.
Serve
- Serve the pastel de choclo with a fresh salad of your choice (optional).
- Enjoy!
Notes
Chilean Pastel de Choclo
Pastel de choclo is a corn casserole that is popular throughout South America. The main layer is ‘pino’, ground meat fried with onions and typical South American spices.
Corn Blended with Basil
The corn is blended with fresh basil leaves and caramelized in the oven. Traditional fillings are olives and boiled eggs, and some cooked chicken. As always, we kept it simple, and you can skip all fillings or make it vegetarian.
Variations
- Substitute ground meat (all or partly) with chopped vegetables, e. g. eggplants, zucchini, or mushrooms.
- Substitute black olives with green olives.
- Add a small carrot (thinly sliced) to the ground meat.
- Add cooked chicken (bone- and skinless, shredded) as the second layer, on top of the ground meat.
The Pastel de Choclo Culinary Spice Kit includes the following spices:
Aji panca, cumin
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