CHILEAN PASTEL DE CHOCLO
SERVES 4 / PREPARATION 20 MINUTES / COOKING 1 HOUR
A few years ago I had a birthday in Santiago, Chile and I chose to go to a little local restaurant that specialised in pastel de choclo, a South American speciality a bit like a cottage pie. Paired with a malbec, it made the perfect comfort dinner. Most often made with beef and chicken, I have just used the beef and included kūmara for another layer. I have also added cheese to the corn topping because it tastes so good. 2 eggs, at room temperature
3 tablespoons olive oil
350g kūmara, grated
1½ teaspoons salt
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, ground
2 teaspoons smoked paprika, plus extra to sprinkle 2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons flour
500g beef mince
½ cup beef stock
½ cup pitted black olives
3 cups frozen corn kernels, defrosted 150g crème fraîche
150g feta or cheddar, grated
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped Heat the oven to 180°C.
Put the eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, simmer for 3 minutes then drain. Peel and set aside.
Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the kūmara, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add the rest of the oil and the onion to the pan, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano and flour and cook for 1 minute. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the mince and cook, stirring for 5 minutes until browned then add the stock and bring to the boil, still stirring. Spoon into a deep, ovenproof dish. Dot the olives over the top then slice the eggs and arrange these on top. Cover with the kūmara in an even layer. Put the corn in a food processor with the crème fraîche and the last ½ teaspoon of salt and blend to a rough purée. Blend in the cheese and basil. Spoon the corn over to cover the top of the pie. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 40 minutes until hot and bubbling.