Pastel de Choclo (Beef and Corn Casserole)

Pastel de choclo, a tasty beef and corn pudding pie with hard boiled eggs, olives and raisins!

Pastel de choclo is a South American style beef and corn casserole made with a layer of seasoned ground beef topped with a layer of corn pudding. The beef layer is made with ground beef, onions, garlic, cumin and paprika with some flour added to thicken the sauce which is made with beef broth. The corn pudding layer is made with plenty of fresh corn that’s cooked until tender before adding basil and cornmeal, pureeing it and simmering until it thickens. The beef layer is placed in a baking pan with optional fillings which can include things like sliced hard boiled eggs, olives, and raisins. The whole thing is baked until golden brown on top and bubbling on the sides. The combination of the sweet corn topping with the savoury beef is simply amazing and then you throw in the hits of flavour and texture from the eggs, olives and raisins! Yum!

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes Servings: 8

Pastel de choclo, a tasty beef and corn pudding pie with hard boiled eggs, olives and raisins!

ingredients

For the pino (beef filling):

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds ground beef
2 onions, diced
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (gluten-free for gluten-free)
1 cup beef broth

For the corn pudding:

2 tablespoons butter
10 cups corn, (fresh or thawed) (about 3 pounds kernels or 8 to 10 ears of corn)
10 basil leaves
2 tablespoon cornmeal (or semolina)
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the casserole:

2 hard boiled eggs, sliced (optional)
1/3 cup pitted olives, coarsely chopped (optional)
2 tablespoon raisins (optional)
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
1 pinch paprika (optional)
2 tablespoons butter, sliced

directions

For the pino (beef filling):

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat, add the beef and cook, about 10 minutes, breaking it apart as it cooks, before draining off any excess grease.
Add the onions and cook until tender, about 5-8 minutes.
Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and flour, mix well, and cook for a minute.
Add the broth, mix, bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes, before turning off the heat.

For the corn pudding:

Melt the butter in a large pan, over medium-high heat, add the corn and cook until tender, about 10 minutes, optionally letting it char a bit.
Add the basil, cornmeal, and salt, and puree with a stick blender.
Bring to a boil and simmer until it thickens, about 5 minutes.

For the casserole:

Spread the beef mixture over the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking pan, top with the sliced egg, olives, and raisins, followed by the corn mixture and sprinkling on the sugar, parika and butter.
Bake in a preheated 400F/200C oven until the sides are bubbling and the top is golden brown, about 35-45 minutes, before letting cool for 10-15 minutes and enjoying!