Besoain, Carmenère, Chilean wine, Red wines, Wine and Food, Wines from Chile, Wines from Chile
Pastel de Choclo
Sep
A Chilean classic with a sweet and spicy maize crust
A Chilean wine accompanies this traditional casserole from the country itself: the Besoain Los Morros Carménère from the Central Valley, whose notes of cinnamon and vanilla complement the sweet maize crust of the pastel de choclo perfectly. A spicy minced beef filling with cumin, paprika and raisins is layered with slices of egg and black olives in small ramekins, covered with a creamy, slightly sweetened maize mixture and baked in the oven until golden brown. It is one of Chile’s best-known national dishes, marking the transition from summer to autumn – when fresh maize is still available, but the craving for a warming casserole is already returning.
Ideal wine pairing: Besoain ‘Los Morros’ Carménère (Central Valley, Chile)
Winemaker Miguel Besoaín produces this Carménère from grapes grown on the gentle hills of Chile’s Central Valley, where temperature fluctuations of up to 15 degrees in summer ensure a pronounced intensity of flavour. Ten per cent of the wine is aged for twelve months in oak barriques. The nose opens with an intense, charming bouquet of ripe cherries, blackberries and dark chocolate, underpinned by sweet, spicy notes of liquorice, cinnamon, vanilla and a hint of mocha. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and juicy, with plenty of fruit extract and silky tannins; the acidity is well integrated. Despite its 13 per cent alcohol content, it remains expressive, concentrated and has a long, lingering finish. It is precisely this combination of dark berry fruit and sweet spicy notes that complements the caramelised maize crust of the pastel de choclo, whilst the spicy minced beef filling adds definition to the silky tannins.
The recipe:
Pastel de Choclo
Equipment
- 2 kleine Auflaufförmchen (Cazuelas) oder eine große Auflaufform
- 1 Pfanne
- 1 kleiner Topf
- 1 Mixer oder Pürierstab
Ingredients
FOR THE FILLING (PINO):
- 250 g ground beef
- 1 Onion finely diced
- 1 teaspoon of cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon of paprika sweet
- 1 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 Tablespoon of raisins
- 2 Tablespoon of olive oil
- sea salt freshly ground black pepper
FOR REFERENCE:
- 2 hard-boiled eggs sliced
- 8 black olives pitted
FOR THE CORN TOPPING:
- 500 g sweetcorn kernels fresh or frozen, defrosted
- 200 ml Milk
- 30 g Butter
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tablespoon of fresh basil finely chopped
- Salt
Instructions
PREPARATION:
- Finely dice the onion.
- Hard-boil the eggs, run them under cold water, peel them and slice them.
- Puree the sweetcorn kernels with half the milk until smooth.
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C (top and bottom heat).
COOKING STEPS:
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan.
- Sauté the diced onions in it until translucent.
- Add the minced beef and fry until crumbly.
- Stir in the cumin, paprika, sugar and raisins.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the mashed sweetcorn with the remaining milk, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan until it forms a creamy mixture.
- Stir in the basil.
- Divide the minced meat filling evenly amongst the ramekins.
- Arrange the egg slices and olives on top of the filling.
- Spread the sweetcorn cream evenly over the top.
- Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
SERVE:
- Serve the Pastel de Choclo straight from the ramekins.
- Garnish with a little fresh basil.
- Serve the Besoain Los Morros Carménère at 16–18 °C.
SIDE DISHES:
- Chilean tomato salad with red onions
- Green Salad with Lime Dressing
- Fresh flatbread
Nutrition
