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Corn Pie With Beef, Chicken, Raisins And Olives
(Pastel De Choclo)
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Before using hot chilies, please read "How to Handle Hot Chilies" article.
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| What You Need: |
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¼ cup seedless raisins
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds ground beef, preferably round or sirloin
4 cups coarsely chopped onions
¼ teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 dried hontaka chili, seeded and coarsely crushed with a mortar and pestle, or substitute 2 crumbled pequin chilies
2 teaspoons ground cumin seeds
1 teaspoon paprika
1½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup pitted black olives
A 3- to 3½-pound chicken, cut into 6 to 8 serving pieces
2 cups fresh corn kernels cut from 4 large ears of corn, or substitute 2 cups thoroughly defrosted frozen corn kernels
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon sugar
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Soak the raisins in ½ cup of hot water for at least 10 minutes.
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2. In a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat until a light haze forms above it. Add the ground beef and brown it well, stirring with a fork to break up any lumps that may form and turning the heat down to moderate if the meat shows any signs of burning.
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3. Stir in the onions, garlic, raisins, chili, cumin, paprika, salt and black pepper, and reduce the heat to low. Cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the entire contents of the skillet to a 4-quart casserole. Spread the olives evenly over the meat.
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4. In a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil over high heat, tipping the skillet to coat the bottom evenly.
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5. Add the chicken and brown the pieces on all sides, turning them with tongs or a slotted spoon and regulating the heat so they brown quickly without burning.
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6. Reduce the heat to its lowest point, cover the skillet and cook for 25 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet to the casserole, and arrange the pieces on top of the meat mixture.
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7. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the corn and milk in the jar of a blender and puree them at high speed for 30 seconds. (To make the topping by hand, puree the corn in a food mill set over a bowl. Stir in the milk.)
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8. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a small, heavy skillet and cook the corn over moderate heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly and regulating the heat so it does not burn. The finished puree should have the consistency of thick cereal.
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9. Pour the corn puree over the chicken in the casserole and, with a spoon or rubber spatula, spread it evenly to the sides of the dish. Sprinkle the top with the sugar.
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10. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes, then increase the heat to 450°F and bake for 10 minutes longer, or until the top is golden brown. Serve hot, directly from the casserole.
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