South American Pork & Corn Pie
Submitted by Rosalee
South American pork and corn pie spoons spiced pork with sweet corn, raisins, and black olives under a fluffy cornmeal topping. Pastel de choclo style casserole, baked in 45 minutes.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
30 minREADY
45 minSouth American pork and corn pie is a streamlined home-cook take on pastel de choclo, the layered casserole that shows up across Chile, Argentina, and Peru. Cooked cubed pork gets simmered in chicken broth with chili powder, sweet corn, raisins, and chopped black olives, then crowned with a quick cornbread topping that bakes into a tender golden cap.
The raisins and olives are the South American signature. They sound odd together but the sweet plump raisins and salty briny olives play off the spiced pork like nothing else. Just trust the combo and don’t substitute either one.
Lemon juice in the milk creates an instant buttermilk for the topping. The acid reacts with the baking soda for extra lift, giving the cornbread topping that fluffy tender crumb.
Chef Tips
- Use leftover roast pork or pulled pork shoulder for the most flavor in the filling
- Reheat the pork mixture before pouring on the topping, otherwise the cornbread underbakes
- Pour the topping evenly to the edges so it seals in the filling and steams it from above
- Bake hot to set the topping fast without drying out the filling underneath
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving so the layers firm up enough to scoop
Variations
- Sub cooked shredded chicken for the pork for a lighter version
- Add a chopped jalapeno or two to the filling for noticeable heat
- Stir in a teaspoon of smoked paprika for a Spanish-leaning twist on the same dish
Ingredients
Directions
Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a 9-inch ovenproof skillet or a 1 quart flameproof casserole, over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
Add the pork and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
Blend in 1 tablespoon of the flour, the chili powder, and the chicken broth.
Add the corn, raisins, olives, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt.
Stir until the mixture thickens, about 4 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 450℉ (230℃).
Stir the lemon juice into the milk in a small bowl and let stand for a few minutes.
Combine the cornmeal with the remaining flour and salt in a mixing bowl.
In the order listed, gradually stir in the milk mixture, egg, baking powder, baking soda, and remaining oil.
Reheat the pork mixture.
Stir the topping mixture and pour over the pork.
Bake, uncovered, until the topping is firm, about 20 minutes.
NOTE: If you do not have an ovenproof skillet or flameproof casserole, use a regular skillet to make the pork mixture and transfer it to a casserole just before baking.
Comments
Very good. I usually like carrots and celery added to dishes like this. So added it. Other than that, the dis came out FANTASTIC— just like we had in Santiago, Chile.