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Pastel de Choclo
Serves 6 Prep 40 min Cook 1 hr 15 min Total 1 hr 55 min Type Meal Origin Chilean

Pastel de Choclo

Chile's summer corn cake: a deep dish of spiced beef pino and shredded chicken layered under a sweet creamy corn topping that bakes to a sugared crust.

Serves 6 Prep 40 minutes Cook 1 ¼ hours Units Rate

Overview

Chile's summer corn cake, the layered casserole made when fresh sweetcorn is at its peak and the asado has yielded leftover meat. You cook the pino first: onions softened slowly with cumin, paprika and oregano, beef mince browned in, raisins and olives folded through with a splash of stock to keep it moist. Chicken pieces poach separately and shred. The corn topping is the star: fresh sweetcorn (or a kabocha-corn mix in winter) blends with milk, butter and fresh basil into a thick batter. Layer in clay dishes (or one large baking dish): pino, shredded chicken, hard-boiled egg slices, corn batter poured over the top. A heavy dust of sugar finishes it, which caramelises under the grill into a sweet crusted top. Eaten with ensalada chilena on the side and a glass of red wine.

Ingredients

Beef pino

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 onions (large, finely chopped)
  • 6 garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 600 g beef mince (15-20% fat)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 100 ml beef stock
  • 80 g raisins (soaked 10 min in hot water)
  • 100 g pitted black olives (Kalamata or Botija; halved)

Chicken

  • 4 chicken thighs (bone-in)
  • 1 onion (small, quartered)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 500 ml water
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Corn topping

  • 800 g sweet corn kernels (fresh from 6-8 cobs, or thawed frozen)
  • 200 ml whole milk
  • 50 g unsalted butter
  • 4 tablespoons fresh basil leaves (chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons cornflour mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water

To assemble

  • 4 hard-boiled eggs (sliced)
  • 3 tablespoons caster sugar (for the top)

Method

Stage 1 - Pino

  1. Heat the oil in a wide heavy pan over medium heat.
  2. Cook the onions 12-15 minutes until soft and golden.
  3. Add the garlic; cook 1 minute.
  4. Add the mince; cook 8 minutes, breaking it up, until well browned.
  5. Stir in the cumin, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper.
  6. Add the stock; simmer 10 minutes until almost dry.
  7. Stir in the drained raisins and olives. Cool slightly.

Stage 2 - Chicken

  1. Place the chicken in a small pan with the onion, bay, water and salt.
  2. Bring to a simmer; cook 25 minutes.
  3. Lift the chicken out; cool slightly; pull the meat from the bones into shreds.

Stage 3 - Corn topping

  1. Blend the corn kernels, milk and basil to a coarse purée - leave some texture.
  2. Pour into a wide pan; melt in the butter; bring to a steady simmer over medium heat.
  3. Stir in the salt and the cornflour slurry.
  4. Cook 6-8 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened to a porridge consistency.

Stage 4 - Assemble

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
  2. Spread the pino across the bottom of a 30 x 20 cm baking dish (or 6 individual clay pasteleras).
  3. Lay the shredded chicken evenly over the pino.
  4. Arrange the hard-boiled egg slices across the top.
  5. Pour the corn topping over and spread to the edges.
  6. Sprinkle the sugar evenly across the top.

Stage 5 - Bake

  1. Bake 25-30 minutes until the corn topping is set and lightly golden.
  2. Switch to grill (broil) for 3-4 minutes, watching closely, until the sugar caramelises into a crackly mahogany crust.

Stage 6 - Rest and serve

  1. Rest 10 minutes (the layers settle).
  2. Serve hot, scooping down through all the layers.
  3. Pair with Chilean salad (tomato + onion + coriander) and a glass of cold red wine.

Notes

  • Sugar on top is essential: The caramelised crackle is the signature finish - without it the dish tastes flat. Don't skimp.
  • Fresh corn vs frozen: Fresh in season is unbeatable. Frozen is a workable year-round substitute. Tinned is too watery.
  • Clay dishes: Traditional pastel de choclo bakes in individual clay pasteleras (paila in Chile). Worth seeking out if you cook this often; one large dish works fine.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days refrigerated; reheat covered at 180°C with a fresh sugar dust on top to revive the crackle.
  • Freezes 2 months unbaked.

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