Best Pastel De Choclo Beef Casserole With Corn Batter Topping Recipes

PASTEL DE CHOCLO (BEEF CASSEROLE WITH CORN BATTER TOPPING)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375ºF. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Stir in the garlic and saute for another 1-2 minutes. Add the ground beef, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and saute, breaking up the meat, until the beef is just cooked through, 6-8 minutes.
• Pour in the water or stock and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle flour over all and stir in well. Simmer for another 5-8 minutes until lightly thickened. Adjust seasoning, remove from heat and set aside. This meat mixture is called pino.
• Place the corn, cornmeal, cornstarch and sugar in a food processor and process until well pureed. With the blade running, add the milk a little at a time until the corn forms a thick batter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Add the corn puree and cook, stirring constantly, until well thickened, about 5-8 minutes. Set aside.
• Spread the beef mixture in a greased casserole dish. Top with the cooked corn puree and spread out evenly over the dish. Sprinkle the sugar over the corn topping.
• Set the dish in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until bubbling and golden brown on top.
• VARIATIONS:.
• After placing the beef mixture in the casserole dish, top with two poached chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces, and 2-3 sliced hard-boiled eggs. Then top with the corn puree.
• Add 1/4 cup raisins and 1/4 cup chopped black olives to the simmering beef mixture.
• Stir 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil into the corn puree topping.
• Some Chileans add 1/4 cup or more sugar to the corn topping to make it quite sweet.
• Set the finished casserole under a hot broiler for 1 or 2 minutes to brown it well if you like.

PASTEL DE CHOCLO

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.

PASTEL DE CHOCLO: CHILEAN BEEF AND CORN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Sauté the onions in the vegetable oil until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the ground beef, cumin, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the beef is crumbled and browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Place the corn kernels in a food processor or blender with 1/4 cup of the milk. Process for 1 to 2 minutes, until the corn is blended and appears creamy.
• Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a large saucepan. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, sugar, and the blended corn mixture.
• Add the remaining 3/4 cup milk and simmer, constantly stirring, until the mixture thickens-about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in the chopped fresh basil. Preheat oven to 375 F.
• Drain the liquid from the browned beef mixture.
• Place the ground beef mixture in the bottom of a 3- to 4-quart casserole dish.
• Sprinkle the raisins, olives, and hard-boiled eggs over the beef, then layer the chicken on top.
• Spread the corn mixture over the top of the casserole so that it covers the rest of the ingredients. Sprinkle some sugar on top.
• Bake the casserole in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes, until the filling is bubbling hot and the corn mixture is golden brown.
• Serve warm.

AUTHENTIC CHILEAN PASTEL DE CHOCLO - WITH SHORTCUTS

Steps:

• Saute chicken breasts in hot oil until browned; remove from heat and rest aside.
• In a heavy skillet, brown the meat, drain, and put it into a bowl.
• Add oil (one swirl around pan) to skillet.
• Saute onion until translucent; add chile flakes, cumin, adobo, paprika, salt, pepper, and oregano.
• Add the sauteed mixture to the meat and mix.
• Pack the meat mixture into a pregreased (Pam) shallow 9-inch ovenproof casserole dish.
• Arrange chicken, eggs and olives on top of meat mixture.
• Place creamed corn in bowl; mix in 4 tablespoons of sugar and salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour this mixture over the meat mixture and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. It should cover mixture but not overtly.
• Bake in a 350°F oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the top is golden.
• Serve with additional sugar on side.

PASTEL DE CHOCLO - CORN PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Saute onions in butter over low heat for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Meanwhile warm up the milk and dissolve the bouillon cube in it.
• Add the flour to the onions and stir for 2-3 minutes.
• Pour milk over it and keep stirring until it thickens, about 5 minutes.
• Remove pan from the heat and add creamed corn, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs. Mix well and let it cool for a few minutes.
• Add the eggs, one at the time, mixing well.
• Season with pepper and nutmeg and pour into a baking dish (9x9).
• Bake for 40 minutes or until firm.