Chilean Pastel de Choclo

Ingredients:

Casserole:

1 whole chicken (4 pounds) , cut into 8 pieces
4 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 cups water
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large white onion, peeled and chopped
1 bunch scallions, green and light white green part only, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and finely minced
1 tsp. brown sugar
pinch of ground cinnamon
pinch of cumin seeds, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup Spanish dry oloroso-style sherry wine
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
3 medium tomatoes, cut into 4 quarters, and seeds removed
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, leaves only, chopped
2/3 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced
1/4 cup capers, drained, chopped
1/3 cup raisins
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

Crust:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
pinch kosher salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3-1/3 cups frozen sweet corn kernels, thawed (16 oz. package)
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp. finely chopped chives
pinch ground pepper

Instructions:

To prepare the casserole:

Place the chicken parts, chicken broth and water in a large Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165F when it is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (but not touching the bone) and breast. Remove the chicken and transfer to a bowl and allow to cool until the pieces are easy to handle. Reserve 2 cups of the stock for the casserole and save the rest for another dish requiring chicken stock.

Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the onions. Cook for about 5 minutes stirring from time to time, but without browning. Reduce the heat to medium and add the scallions, then cook for another minute. Add the garlic and jalapeno chile. Cook just until fragrant, about another minute or two and add the sugar, cinnamon, cumin and a touch of salt and pepper. Let the spices infuse the mixture for a few more minutes and then add the sherry wine and the tomatoes. Cook for about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the tomato paste into 1/2 of the reserved poaching liquid until dissolved and add to the sherry mixture. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes.

Remove all the chicken from the bones, separating into bite-size pieces. Add the pulled chicken, cilantro, olives, capers and raisins. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary. The dish should be on the soupy side, not unlike a stew, so add the remaining 1/2 cup of reserved poaching liquid if you think it is too dry. Turn the heat off and let the mixture cool while making the crust.

Preheat oven to 375F.

To prepare the crust:

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Melt butter in a saute pan large enough to hold the corn kernels, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add corn and saute for about 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and let cool. Puree the corn mixture in a blender until fine. In another bowl, mix the egg, egg yolk, milk and corn puree. Carefully fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient bowl. Dont over-mix in order to keep an airy crust.

To finish:

Place the chicken mixture into a rectangular 4 quart baking casserole and scatter the chopped eggs over the chicken and then pour the crust mixture over it, making sure to cover all of the chicken. Use a spatula to evenly spread the crust out, then bake for about 45 minutes or until a knife inserted through the crust comes out clean. Sprinkle the casserole with chives and freshly ground black pepper just before serving.

Recipe from Whole Foods Market.