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73

Pastel de Choclo Chileno (Chilean Corn Pie)

Prep 20 min
Total 60 min
Ingredients 15
Servings 4

I come from a family that loves good cuisine. On my mother’s side - from my grandmother Eva to myself - we all love to cook, celebrate and enjoy the pleasures of family life with good friends, good food and toasting to life and health! My aunt Gladisita, as we affectionately call her, is the party animal of the family; she celebrates everything. She loves Chile, its people, its customs, its cuisine and its accent. From her I learned the recipe that I will share today: the one and only delicious pastel de choclo (corn pie) that she makes for every special occasion, especially when I visit her every time I travel to my Venezuela! Pastel de choclo is a traditional dish that’s very popular in Chile, made with a skim mixture of corn, filled with beef or chicken, or both in the same pie. It is made in the oven in a big pan or individual ones. It’s a very popular dish in South America; we can find it in popular recipes in Argentina, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela, among others, each with its own variations. Some add eggs, basil, raisins and even black olives, but the taste is basically the same. Join me on this imaginary trip to the beautiful country by the name of Chile! MORE + LESS -

Ingredients

tablespoons of olive oil

medium, finely chopped onion

chopped cloves of garlic

oz of ground beef

teaspoon of cumin seeds

teaspoon of oregano

tablespoon of paprika

cup of beef broth or water

tablespoon of all-purpose flour

oz fresh or frozen corn

tablespoons cornstarch

1/4

cup yellow corn flour

1/2

cup of liquid milk

tablespoon brown sugar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

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1

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Stir and sauté onion until translucent. Add garlic for at least another two minutes. Then add ground beef and season with paprika, cumin seeds, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Stir well with wooden spoon for about another 8 minutes until meat is well cooked and no longer pink.
3

Add a cup of beef broth or water and bring to a boil. Add flour and mix well for about another five minutes.
4

In a food processor or blender, place corn, cornstarch and yellow corn flour until it is pureed. Gradually pour milk until becomes fine mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
5

In a medium pot, melt butter over low heat and add corn mixture, stirring constantly for about 8 minutes.
6

Place ground beef mixture in previously greased pan with corn mixture over it, completely covering the surface. Sprinkle with sugar and place in already preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until top is golden brown.

Expert Tips

To cut it easily, without letting anything go to waste, cut with a knife and remove with a spatula.
To have a more successful culinary creation, serve it with a fresh Chilean salad honoring the red and white colors of the flag, with tomatoes, onions, green peppers and parsley, an olive oil and vinegar dressing and salt and pepper to taste. You will be a big success!
To end these tips on a fabulous note, I recommend a bottle of Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.

Nutrition Information

No nutrition information available for this recipe

More About This Recipe

I come from a family that loves good cuisine. On my mother’s side - from my grandmother Eva to myself - we all love to cook, celebrate and enjoy the pleasures of family life with good friends, good food and toasting to life and health! My aunt Gladisita, as we affectionately call her, is the party animal of the family; she celebrates everything. She loves Chile, its people, its customs, its cuisine and its accent. From her I learned the recipe that I will share today: the one and only delicious pastel de choclo (corn pie) that she makes for every special occasion, especially when I visit her every time I travel to my Venezuela! Pastel de choclo is a traditional dish that’s very popular in Chile, made with a skim mixture of corn, filled with beef or chicken, or both in the same pie. It is made in the oven in a big pan or individual ones. It’s a very popular dish in South America; we can find it in popular recipes in Argentina, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela, among others, each with its own variations. Some add eggs, basil, raisins and even black olives, but the taste is basically the same. Join me on this imaginary trip to the beautiful country by the name of Chile!