**Pastel de Choclo: A Culinary Journey into Chilean Delicacy**
Pastel de choclo, a traditional Chilean dish, is a savory pie made with a filling of sweet corn, beef, onions, and various spices, all encased in a sweet cornmeal crust. This iconic dish holds a special place in Chilean cuisine and is often served during celebrations and gatherings. Its unique flavor profile, vibrant colors, and distinctive texture make it a beloved dish among locals and visitors alike.
In this comprehensive guide, we present three distinct recipes that capture the essence of pastel de choclo while offering unique variations. The first recipe stays true to the classic preparation, using fresh corn, tender beef, and a flavorful sofrito. The second recipe introduces a modern twist, incorporating quinoa for added protein and a healthier spin. Finally, the third recipe caters to vegetarians by replacing the beef with a combination of vegetables, creating a hearty and flavorful meatless version.
Each recipe is meticulously detailed, providing step-by-step instructions and helpful tips to ensure successful preparation. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a beginner looking to explore Chilean cuisine, this guide has something for everyone. Embark on this culinary journey and discover the delights of pastel de choclo, a dish that embodies the vibrant spirit of Chile.
PASTEL DE CHOCLO CON QUESO OR PASTEL DE HUMITA SAVORY CORN CAKE
Pastel de choclo con queso or pastel de humita is a savory baked fresh corn and cheese cake or casserole dish from South America.
Provided by Layla Pujol
Categories Appetizer Main Course Side Dish
Time 1h25m
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
- Place the corn kernels, 1 cup of cheese, diced onions, crushed garlic, corn meal, cream, eggs, and salt in the food processor, mix until the corn is pureed.
- Pour half of the corn mix into a pre-greased rectangular oven mold.
- Add a layer of cheese using the 2 cups of grated cheese. Add another layer with the rest of the corn mix.
- Cover with foil and bake in a pre-heated oven for about 45 - 50 minutes. It can served directly as is. If you want the extra cheesy version, then add some more grated cheese on top and turn on the broiler until the cheese is melted and golden, about 5 minutes/
- Serve warm with tomato and onion curtido, tree tomato hot sauce, and aji criollo.
PASTEL DE CHOCLO CORN CAKE
An easy bake sweet treat that uses choclo, sugar, egg, butter and raisins for a dry dessert just asking for a creamy topping.
Provided by Eat Peru
Categories Dessert
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Peel and remove the sweet corn leaves. Rinse the corn stems. Place vertically on a cutting board holding firmly, cut lengthwise with a sharp knife, separating the grains or kernels from the stem. Repeat the procedure with all the sides of the sweet corn until all the kernels are removed. Repeat this procedure with the rest of the sweetcorns.
- Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F. Grease a mold, sprinkle a teaspoon of wheat flour on the entire surface of the mold. We will use a 20 cm diameter, metal ring-shaped mold.
- In a mixing bowl, sift the wheat flour with the baking powder. Melt the butter in the microwave for about twenty seconds.
- In the food processor glass, place the eggs (white and yolk), melted butter, and evaporated milk. Blend it for a minute until you have a homogeneous mixture. If your blender is not powerful enough, or the glass is small, separate this mixture into two equal parts.
- Pour the corn kernels, with the liquid into the blender glass, and blend for a couple of minutes. The idea is to break the corn kernels a bit, but not crush them completely. You should feel the texture of some corn kernels. Repeat the procedure until all the liquid ingredients are blended with the corn kernels.
- Pour the mixture into the bowl of the electric mixer and add the sugar. Gradually add the sifted flour with the baking powder and the pinch of salt.
- When all the ingredients are perfectly integrated, add the star anise and the raisins. Stir carefully with a spoon to integrate the raisins.
- Place the mixture in the mold. Put in the oven for about 45 minutes at approximately 160 ° C.
- When the surface of the cake is golden brown, open the oven and insert a toothpick. If it comes out dry, it's ready. Turn off the oven and remove the baked cake. Let it cool for about 90 minutes and remove it from the mold.
- If desired, decorate with a little powdered sugar.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 241 kcal, Carbohydrate 41 g, Protein 6 g, Fat 7 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, Cholesterol 56 mg, Sodium 74 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 16 g, ServingSize 1 serving
PASTEL DE CHOCLO
Choclo is the quechua word for "tender corn," or the new corn of the season. This is a typical Chilean dish, but is also eaten in Argentina and Peru with some variations in the recipe, sometimes using cornmeal instead of freshly mashed sweet corn. Serve with Chilean salad and/or pebre.
Provided by Epicureo
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American South American Chilean
Time 1h15m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, a pinch of salt, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, and some pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add beef; add remaining salt, paprika, and more pepper. Cook and stir until mostly browned, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, raisins, and olives.
- Remove eggs from hot water, cool under cold running water, and peel. Roughly chop and add to the beef mixture. Keep pino mixture warm.
- Puree corn with basil in a blender or food processor. Pour into a saucepan over medium heat. Add butter; cook and stir until thickened, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in milk, sugar, and salt. Continue cooking until thickened to a paste, about 15 minutes more.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Spread pino into a baking dish. Cover with the corn paste. Sprinkle a little sugar on top.
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown on top, about 20 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 434.6 calories, Carbohydrate 38.3 g, Cholesterol 119.4 mg, Fat 21.4 g, Fiber 3.8 g, Protein 26.7 g, SaturatedFat 7.1 g, Sodium 967.3 mg, Sugar 10.1 g
PASTEL DE CHOCLO - CORN CAKE
Martin Morales' recipe for this Peruvian sweetcorn, feta and olive side dish is adapted from his book, Ceviche
Provided by Good Food team
Time 2h
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Heat oven to 120C/100C fan/gas 1/2. Grease a 20 x 20cm cake tin and line with baking parchment. Separate the eggs. Put the yolks in a food processor or blender with the sweetcorn and blitz to a rough purée. Tip the blended mixture into a large bowl and stir in the butter, cornflour, baking powder, sugar and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix thoroughly.
- Whisk the egg whites until they have reached the stiff peak stage. Gently fold the egg whites into the corn mixture using a large metal spoon until completely incorporated, keeping as much air in the mixture as possible.
- Spread the corn batter over the base of the tin with a spatula. Sprinkle over the cubes of cheese and push them into the mixture so they are almost completely covered.
- Cook for 1 hr 45 mins until firm and golden and shrinking slightly from the sides. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 15 mins before cutting into chunks and serving, scattered with olives. Leftovers will keep in the fridge until the next day.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 396 calories, Fat 25 grams fat, SaturatedFat 14 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 32 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 15 grams sugar, Fiber 2 grams fiber, Protein 10 grams protein, Sodium 3.1 milligram of sodium
PASTEL DE CHOCLO
Steps:
- Poach chicken in broth until cooked through. Cool in broth. Shred chicken. Save broth for another use. Set aside.
- Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and stir until golden brown. Add paprika, cumin and oregano and stir until fragrant. Add shredded chicken and stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Using grater, grate corn from cob (WilliamsSonoma sells a special gadget for grating corn right into a bowl). If using canned or frozen corn, pulse in food processor until coarsely pureed. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add corn, sugar and salt. Gradually stir in enough milk and cook until mixture is slightly thick. Stir in basil.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spoon chicken mixture into 2quart baking dish. Arrange hardboiled eggs, olives and raisins over. Pour corn mixture over, smoothing top to cover filling completely. Sprinkle powdered sugar over top. Bake until crust is golden brown and firm to touch, about 40 minutes. Serve hot.
Tips:
- To make the perfect Pastel de Choclo, use fresh choclo (corn) kernels. If fresh choclo is unavailable, you can use frozen or canned choclo, but fresh choclo will give the dish a much better flavor.
- When cooking the choclo, be sure to add enough water to cover the kernels. This will help them to cook evenly and prevent them from drying out.
- Once the choclo is cooked, let it cool slightly before adding it to the other ingredients. This will help to prevent the Pastel de Choclo from becoming too watery.
- When assembling the Pastel de Choclo, be sure to layer the ingredients evenly. This will help to ensure that each bite is full of flavor.
- Bake the Pastel de Choclo until the top is golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbly. This will usually take about 30 minutes.
Conclusion:
Pastel de Choclo is a delicious and hearty dish that is perfect for any occasion. It is a great way to use up leftover choclo, and it is also a good source of protein and fiber. If you are looking for a new and exciting dish to try, Pastel de Choclo is definitely worth a try.
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