All across North America, you will find casseroles of all shapes and sizes gracing tabletops as families gather for dinner. It is an ‘all-in-one’ meal composed of beef, chicken, vegetables, and spices all baked together and topped with a crispy layer of baked cheese, breadcrumbs, or potatoes. This hearty dish is often associated with the comfort of a full stomach and sweet memories of home.
Fly a few thousand miles south and you will find the Chilean version of a casserole, called “Pastel de choclo,” but with one important addition: corn. Corn was such an important crop for the ancient Incas, that their ‘most important god’ was the Corn God. The Incan chief would plant the first corn seeds every year because he was believed to be a descendant of the gods. Believed to originate from the Mapuche (an Indigenous People from southern Chile) who were cooking for Spanish settlers, Pastel de choclo is still found on tabletops around Chile as families gather to fill their stomachs with rich food and their hearts with good memories. If you would like to taste what Pastel de choclo is all about, let’s cook with Valentina!
Utensils (English and Spanish)
- Scale (Gramera)
- Blender (Licuadora)
- Pot (Olla)
- Baking dish (recipiente para hornear)
- Skillet (Sartén)
- Pastry spatula (espátula)
- Bowls (Bowls)
- Oven (Horno)
- Stove (Estufa)
Ingredients (English and Spanish)
- Ground beef (carne molida) – 7.05 ounce
- Onion (cebolla) – 1
- Garlic cloves (dientes de ajo) – 2
- Salt (sal) – to taste
- Pepper (pimienta) – to taste
- Chicken breast (pechuga de pollo) – 1
- Sweet corn (maíz dulce) – 21.16 ounces
- Optional: Matchstick French fries (papas fosforito) – to taste
Follow Along with the Video Below
English
- Put oil on the bottom of a pan and turn heat on medium. Add onions and let them cook and soften. Add garlic, ground beef, salt and pepper. Let the meat cook thoroughly, stirring occasionally, as you move to the next step.
- In a blender put the sweet corn and blend until it becomes a paste.
- On a pot on the stove, put oil in the bottom and put the corn paste inside. Cook and stir for 5 minutes.
- Put the cooked meat mixture into a baking container.
- Optional: put the Matchstick French fries on top.
- Put the shredded chicken on top.
- Put the corn paste on top of the chicken and flatten it with a spatula.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Enjoy!
Español
- Pon aceite en el fondo de una sartén y enciende el fuego a fuego medio. Agrega las cebollas y déjalas cocinar y suavizar. Agrega el ajo, la carne molida, la sal y la pimienta. Deje que la carne se cocine bien, revolviendo ocasionalmente, a medida que avanza al siguiente paso.
- En una licuadora poner el maíz dulce y licuar hasta que quede una pasta.
- En una olla al fuego, poner aceite en el fondo y poner dentro la pasta de maíz. Cocine y revuelva durante 5 minutos.
- Coloque la mezcla de carne cocida en un recipiente para hornear.
- Opcional: poner encima las patatas fritas Matchstick.
- Poner encima el pollo desmenuzado.
- Pon la pasta de maíz encima del pollo y aplánala con una espátula.
- Hornee en el horno durante 10 minutos a 100 grados Fahrenheit.
- ¡Disfrutar!
Here at Cultural Bytes, we believe that the best way to learn the language is to learn the culture. If you want to immerse your child in the Spanish language and culture by trying out activities, crafts, games, and recipes from all of the 21 Spanish speaking countries, then sign them up for ViLaCa (Virtual Language Camp).
