Chilean Pastel de Choclo: Sweet Corn-Crusted Beef and Chicken Pie with Raisins and Olives

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onions with a pinch of salt until soft and golden, about 10 minutes, then add the garlic, cumin, paprika and oregano and stir for 1 minute.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 cups fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cooked chicken thighs, shredded
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 12 pitted black olives
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onions with a pinch of salt until soft and golden, about 10 minutes, then add the garlic, cumin, paprika and oregano and stir for 1 minute.
2. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned and the liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set this pino filling aside.
3. Pulse the corn kernels with the milk in a food processor until you have a coarse, creamy puree.
4. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the corn puree and basil, and cook, stirring constantly, until thick enough to hold a spoon upright, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt.
5. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread the beef filling in a deep 9-by-13-inch baking dish or six individual clay bowls.
6. Scatter the shredded chicken, hard-boiled egg quarters, raisins and olives evenly over the beef.
7. Spoon the corn mixture over the top and smooth it into an even layer. Sprinkle the sugar over the surface.
8. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the corn crust is deeply golden and caramelized at the edges. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
9. Pastel de choclo is the dish of Chile's corn harvest, baked in the countryside around Pomaire in the same unglazed clay bowls that have been used for generations. The sweet basil-scented corn crust over the savory, cumin-spiced pino is a classic Chilean contrast of sweet and salty, and families in the Central Valley bake it by the dozen when the choclo comes in from the fields.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 590 kcal
• Protein: 36g
• Fat: 28g
• Carbohydrates: 48g
• Fiber: 5g
• Sugar: 16g
• Sodium: 720mg