Chilean Corn Pie (Pastel de Choclo) — Sweet Corn-Topped Beef and Chicken Bake

• 1200 gfresh corn kernels (from about 10 large ears of corn)
• 240 mlwhole milk
• 20 gfresh basil leaves
• 30 gunsalted butter
• 6 gfine sea salt
• 12 ggranulated sugar
• 30 mlneutral oil
• 2large yellow onions (finely diced, about 600 g total)
• 3 clovegarlic (minced)
• 600 glean ground beef
• 2 tspsweet paprika
• 2 tspground cumin
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 1 tspblack pepper (freshly ground)
• 120 mlbeef stock
• 60 graisins
• 6boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 600 g total)
• 3hard-boiled eggs (peeled and quartered)
• 12black olives (Chilean or Kalamata-style olives)

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 190°C and set a 3 l earthenware cazuela or deep baking dish on a rimmed tray. Butter is already in the topping ingredients, so do not grease the dish unless your ceramic is very porous.

2. 2

   Blend the corn kernels, milk, and basil in batches until the mixture is coarse but spoonable, not completely smooth. Transfer it to a wide saucepan with the butter, 6 g salt, and 12 g sugar, then cook over medium heat for 18 to 22 minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens like soft polenta.

3. 3

   Warm 30 ml oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the diced onions. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the onions are soft, sweet, and lightly golden, because undercooked onion makes the pino taste harsh.

4. 4

   Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Stir in the paprika, cumin, oregano, 10 g salt, and black pepper, then cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the beef is browned and fragrant.

5. 5

   Pour in the beef stock and simmer the pino for 6 to 8 minutes, until it is moist but not soupy. Stir in the raisins, remove the pan from the heat, and let the filling stand while you cook the chicken.

6. 6

   Season the chicken thighs with 4 g salt. Heat 15 ml oil in a separate skillet over medium-high heat, sear the chicken for 3 minutes per side, then cover and cook over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes until the thickest part reaches 74°C.

7. 7

   Spread the beef pino evenly in the baking dish and nestle the cooked chicken thighs into the filling. Arrange the quartered eggs and olives across the surface so every serving receives a little of each traditional garnish.

8. 8

   Spoon the hot corn mixture over the filling and spread it gently to the edges without compacting it. Sprinkle the remaining 18 g sugar evenly over the top, which helps create the characteristic caramelized speckled crust.

9. 9

   Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the filling bubbles at the edges and the corn topping is browned in patches. If the top is pale after baking, broil it for 2 to 3 minutes while watching closely so the sugar caramelizes without burning.

10. 10

    Rest the pastel de choclo for 10 minutes before serving. This pause allows the pino juices to settle and helps the corn topping hold its shape when spooned onto plates.