Happy Independence Day, Chile!
That's right, today is the fourth day of Hispanic Heritage Month and it's extra-special because today is also Chile's Independence Day–and I'm celebrating with a traditional Chilean recipe!
This Chilean beef and corn casserole (called pastel de choclo in Chile) is simply amazing. There's just SO much flavor in this recipe: from the ground beef, corn, raisins, olives, eggs, roasted chicken and all of the seasonings, you really can't lose with this one whether you're Chilean or not. So go ahead and celebrate! Your tummy will thank you for it.
Read more ¿Qué más? Hispanic Heritage Month: 5 Guacamole recipes for Mexican Independence Day!
Chilean Pastel de Choclo, a.k.a. Beef & Corn Casserole (recipe courtesy of About.com)
Ingredients:
3-4 medium onions, chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1.5 pounds of ground beef
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup chopped black olives
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 cup shredded roasted chicken
2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Read more ¿Qué más? Hispanic Heritage Month: 5 Latin American recipes to help you celebrate your culture!
Directions:
1. Sauté the onions in the vegetable oil until soft and translucent, 5 minutes.
2. Add the ground beef, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the beef is crumbled and browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Place the corn kernels in a food processor or blender with 1/4 cup milk. Process for 1 to 2 minutes, until corn is blended and appears creamy.
4. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a pan, and add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, and the corn mixture. Add the remaining 3/4 cup milk and simmer, stirring, until mixture thickens, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the chopped basil and remove from heat.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
6. Drain the liquid from the browned beef mixture. Place the ground beef mixture in the bottom of a 3-4 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle raisins, olives, and hardboiled eggs over the beef, then layer the chicken on top.
7. Spread the corn mixture over the top of the casserole so that it covers the rest of the ingredients. Sprinkle the powdered sugar on top.
8. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until the corn mixture is golden brown.
9. Serve warm.
Image via roboppy/flickr
