Entree: Chile – Santiago – Pastel de Choclo (Baked corn casserole layered over a savory meat and chicken filling with olives and hard-boiled eggs)

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 45 min

Cook 35 min

Total 1 hr 20 min

Ingredients

For the pino (meat filling):
- 8 oz (225 g) ground beef
- 8 oz (225 g) boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped (about 8 oz / 225 g)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) paprika
- 1/4 tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
- 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) beef or chicken stock
- 1/4 cup (40 g) raisins (optional)
- 8 black olives, pitted
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced, approx. 3.5 oz (100 g)
For the choclo (corn topping):
- 6 cups (900 g) fresh corn kernels (about 6–7 ears) or thawed frozen corn
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves, chopped (about 15 g)
- 1 tbsp (12 g) sugar (adjust to desired sweetness)
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) kosher salt
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil or butter for baking dish
- 2 tbsp (30 g) granulated sugar (for sprinkling) and a few knobs of butter for glazing

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly oil a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking dish or equivalent individual cazuelas.
2. Make the pino: heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion until translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
3. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon; cook until browned. Stir in cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add stock and simmer 5 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in shredded chicken, raisins (if using), and remove from heat.
4. Arrange the filling: spread the meat mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Nestle sliced hard-boiled eggs and olives into the meat layer.
5. Prepare corn topping: in a blender or food processor, combine corn kernels and milk and blend to a coarse puree (do not overprocess to keep texture). In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; add pureed corn and chopped basil, cook, stirring, until mixture thickens and becomes creamy, about 8–10 minutes. Stir in 1 tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt; taste and adjust sweetness.
6. Assemble: spoon the corn mixture over the meat layer and smooth the top with a spatula so the meat is fully covered. Sprinkle 2 tbsp sugar evenly across the top and dot with small pieces of butter.
7. Bake: place dish in the oven and bake until the top is golden brown and bubbling, about 25–35 minutes. For a more deeply browned top, finish under the broiler 1–2 minutes, watching closely.
8. Rest and serve: let rest 5–10 minutes. Serve hot, spooning portions that include meat filling and the sweet corn crust.
9. Leftovers: refrigerate covered up to 3 days; reheat in oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through.