Photo of the Day: Pastel de Choclo, Chilean Corn and Meat Pie

Required Eating

Photo of the Day: Pastel de Choclo, Chilean Corn and Meat Pie

Posted by Robyn Lee, April 22, 2008 at 6:30 PM

From April 13 to 19, I traveled around Chile with two other American food journalists on a culinary media trip. Here's another snapshot from that week. —Robyn Lee

I ate pastel de choclo (corn and meat pie) just twice during my week in Chile, but saw it many more times than that. Break through the crust of this baked dish and dip into a hearty, sweet and savory corn pudding flavored with garlic and onion (and other possible spices including paprika, cumin, and oregano), and laden with meat bits at the bottom. Beef and chicken seem to be most common meats, but seafood may also be mixed in. Hell, you can probably put in whatever you want as long as its smothered in the creamy corn mash. It falls into possibly the best category of edibles there is—that is, comfort food. As there is no way I'm going to ever come across rows of pastel de choclo-filled bowls here in New York, I may just have to try and make it myself.

12 Comments | Tags: Chile, Photo of the Day, Snapshots From Chile

12 Comments:

They do serve pastel de choclo at a semi-weird, kind of pricey theater district restaurant, Pomaire, which claims to be the only Chilean restaurant in NYC (which isn't quite true). But I can't say how authentic it is because I've never eaten the dish on its home turf.

Krista at 9:08PM on 04/22/08

@Krista: Yeah, I looked into Pomaire...but the priceyness turned me off. :\ However, one of my hosts in Chile said she's been there (years ago) and thought it was good. So!...hm.

I'd rather eat it from the random restaurant in the photo above. Wah! (The restaurant was in Pomaire, haha.)

Do you have Chilean food recs in NYC? (Or nearby in NJ?)

roboppy at 10:28PM on 04/22/08

Ooooh, that looks really delicious.

Chilean food does sound interesting... I'd be interested to know more too, Krista.

foodinmouth at 12:02AM on 04/23/08

@Krista: I found your review of San Antonio Bakery. I MUST GO.

roboppy at 1:27AM on 04/23/08

San Antonio Bakery is pretty awesome; they have mostly snacky stuff like sandwiches, empanadas and tons of baked goods. And the owner is super friendly.

I've also heard about a Chilean place in Elmhurst, El Arrayan, but I haven't been yet.

It's very peculiar that I rarely post on Serious Eats, yet always chime in on Chilean food. I think I just like underdog cuisines.

Krista at 11:21AM on 04/23/08

@Krista: I might go to San Antonio Bakery on Saturday with a Chilean in tow! :) And I'll put El Arrayan on my list. Thanks for the recs!

roboppy at 11:38AM on 04/23/08

Oh this looks so good. I think I'll have to make this too.

aharste at 12:46PM on 04/23/08

this looks like something i need to learn how to make, too. also an excuse to buy cute little iron skillets.

thursdaynightsmackdown at 2:28PM on 04/23/08

I'm chilean and I can say that making pastel de choclo is not hard, in fact the only "hard" thing I remember is taking the corn from the shells and puree them..that all! The rest of the recipe is quite easy; the only mandatory thing is to use clay plates, otherwise the thing will come weird :) Pastel de choclo is my favourite summer food ever, and my second one after chupe de mariscos (search for it!).

anodien at 7:27PM on 04/23/08

roboppy: Hopefuly it doesn't disappoint. Don't miss the completo hot dog.

Krista at 9:09AM on 04/24/08

I...must...have...this...now! Pastel de choclo is one of the few things you may wake me up for in the middle of the night. I simply love the crunchyness of the corn on top and the soft, fluffy corn-with-meat-and-veggies inside. Too bad I don't have those clay bowls.

jenneke at 3:09AM on 04/25/08

I'd rathe have Pastel de Chocobo. =D

dhelor at 7:33AM on 04/27/08

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