Raul Diaz is a Chilean sommelier and food lover, and here he shares his favourite recipe for the Chilean classic Pastel de Choclo from his new book Wines and Recipes. Raul also shares his favourite wine pairing for Pastel de Choclo.
“I remember going with my mother to the local market to buy fresh corn cobs during the summer in Chile. They were huge! Pastel de choclo is an iconic dish back home. This corn pie is an incredible combination of corn paste, beef, chicken, olives, onions, raisins and hard-boiled eggs, with a slightly caramelised crust on the top. It’s simply fantastic. You normally eat it with a fresh tomato salad on the side.
“Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines are the best choice to match this recipe owing to the intensity of their flavour, body and structure.”
The ultimate Pastel de Choclo recipe
Ingredients for Pastel de Choclo
FOR THE CORN PASTE:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1kg frozen sweetcorn
- 70–100ml whole milk
- 12 leaves of basil
- sea salt and black pepper
FOR THE MEAT FILLING:
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1kg beef mince
- 3 onions, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp dried chilli flakes
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 500g cooked chicken breast, diced
- handful of sultanas
- 200g black olives, pitted
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
- 2–3 tbsp golden caster sugar
How to make Pastel de Choclo
1. Melt the butter with the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the corn and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes until toasted and turning golden. Add the milk and basil and season with salt and pepper, then simmer for another 10 minutes until the corn is tender. With a hand blender, blitz the corn mixture until smooth. Check the seasoning and set aside.
2. Heat the oil for the filling in a large, wide pan over a medium– high heat. Cook the beef mince for about 6–7 minutes, stirring regularly, until well coloured. Add the onions, chilli flakes and cumin, season with salt and pepper and cook for another 10 minutes until the onions have softened. Add the flour and mix well with the meat, allowing it to cook off for a minute or two. Slowly add 120ml water, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Allow the water to come to the boil and stir until thickened to a coating consistency.
3. Preheat the oven to 200.C/gas 6.
4. Spoon a layer of the mince mixture into a large baking dish, then add the chicken, raisins, black olives and hard-boiled eggs in layers on top. Finish with a layer of the corn paste, making sure it completely covers the other layers. Sprinkle the top with sugar and bake for 45 minutes until golden.
SERVES: 6
TIME: 90 MINS
You can buy Raul’s book, Wines and Recipes, online now.
Raul Diaz has worked as a wine expert for the last fifteen years, visiting over a hundred countries around the world in the process. Along the way, he recorded the aromas, the colours and the amazing flavours of each of the local cuisines he has tried, alongside some mind-blowing wines.
In Wines & Recipes he shares these experiences. This is not a traditional food-and-wine pairing book. There are no strict rules or cliché traditions. Just a fantastic universe of wines and recipes waiting for you to dive in and enjoy!
Find out more about Chilean recipes and wine pairing with Amanda Barnes, author of The South America Wine Guide book, and Raul on Instagram Live on Wednesday 5th May at 7pm UK as they talk about the art of pairing Chilean food and wine, with a special focus on Pastel de Choclo and Ceviche! Hosted live by @southamericawineguide and @rauldiazwines
