Pastel de Choclo
A hearty and filling dinner, this warm casserole is the Chilean version of a shepherd’s pie. Filled with beef, chicken and eggs and topped with a delicious corn topping, Pastel de Choclo is a great introduction to Chilean comfort food.
Servings 8
Calories 383kcal
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Oven Mitt
Ingredients
Beef Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large white onion finely diced
- 1 ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cumin
- 2 lb lean ground beef
- ¾ cup beef broth
Corn Topping Ingredients
- 36 oz corn kernels about 7 cups, I use frozen corn kernels that I thaw before beginning
- 3 Tbsp densely packed fresh basil
- ¼ cup milk
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp paprika
Assembly Ingredients
- 3 hard-boiled eggs peeled and cut in half
- 1 cup cooked chicken chopped (boneless, skinless)
- 4 Tbsp Raisins
- ½ cup black olives
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar optional
Instructions
Beef Mixture Instructions
- In a large pan on the stove, heat the vegetable oil and then add the onions.
- Saute the onions until they turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the spices into the onions and continue to saute for about 15 more minutes, until they soften significantly, adding more vegetable oil as necessary.
- Add the ground beef into the pan and cook until the meat is browned. Add the beef broth into the pan and allow the liquid in the pan to reach a light simmer. Allow it to simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes total or until some of the liquid has evaporated. Do not boil the liquid or the meat will dry out.
- Remove the meat from heat and set aside.
Corn Topping Instructions
- Add the corn, basil and ¼ cup milk to a large bowl. Use an immersion blender to blend until the corn is smooth and forms a cream. Alternatively, you can use a blender or food processor.
- Transfer the blended corn mixture to a medium-sized pot on the stove. Stir in the salt and paprika.
- Stir the corn mixture constantly for about 20 minutes so that it doesn’t burn. Once it reaches a thick consistency, remove it from the heat.
Assembly Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
- Spread the meat mixture across the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Then layer the cooked chicken, halved hard boiled eggs, olives, and raisins over the top of the meat.
- Pour the cooked corn mixture over the layers and spread until the corn mixture covers the contents of the casserole dish. Sprinkle the corn mixture with sugar, if desired.
- Place your Pastel de Choclo in the oven and cook, uncovered, for about 40 minutes or until the corn mixture starts to stiffen and brown.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before enjoying.
Notes
Recipe Copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only. Recipe researched using videos by Joaco Cerda, Alvaro Barriento Montero, Ricky Cocina, and Chilean Food and Garden.
- Vegetable Oil: This is the traditional choice as opposed to olive oil.
- Ground beef:Make sure to buy the lean variety. Too much fat will make your casserole too greasy. I used 97% lean.
- Beef broth: You can also substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth if necessary.
- Corn: You could also use fresh corn for this, but I do not recommend canned corn as it contains too much moisture.
- Milk:You could also use cream
- Cooked chicken: You could use grilled or even canned chicken.
- Some people sprinkle sugar on top, but others argue that it is only real Pastel de Choclo without the sugar.
- Some Chileans enjoy the taste of basil in the topping, while others argue that is not a necessary ingredient
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 1103mg | Potassium: 744mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 287IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 4mg