Country-Style Corn, Smoked Turkey and Green Bean Bake with Merkén Quinoa Crust

Name: Country-Style Corn, Smoked Turkey and Green Bean Bake with Merkén Quinoa Crust
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Chilena
Ingredients: 17.6 oz smoked cooked turkey breast, small diced; 7 oz white onion, thinly sliced; 2 tsp garlic, minced; 9 oz green beans, chopped into small pieces; 1/3 cup white wine; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano; 2 tsp merkén smoked chili blend; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 5 cups corn kernels; 1 cup whole milk; 1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves; 2 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp fine cornmeal; 2 tsp sugar; 1/2 cup quinoa; 3/4 cup water; 4.2 oz grated queso chanco; 1/3 cup breadcrumbs; 1 unit egg

An original Chilean-inspired bake featuring a savory base of smoked turkey sautéed with onion, green beans, and a splash of white wine, topped with a creamy sweet corn layer and finished with a light toasted quinoa, queso chanco, and merkén crust. Comforting, golden, and deeply Chilean in spirit.

30 minPrep

45 minCook

75 minTotal

6Servings

High Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

500 g smoked cooked turkey breast, small diced (for the relleno)
200 g white onion, thinly sliced (approx. 1 onion large)
10 g garlic, minced (fresh)
250 g green beans, chopped into small pieces (without puntas)
80 ml white wine (for desglasar)
30 ml vegetable oil (divided)
2 g ground cumin (for the relleno)
1 g dried oregano (for the relleno)
4 g merkén smoked chili blend (divided)
8 g salt (or to taste, divided)
2 g black pepper (or to taste, divided)
700 g corn kernels (fresh or congelados, for the cubierta)
240 ml whole milk (for licuar the choclo)
12 g basil leaves (fresh)
30 g butter (for the pastelera)
20 g fine cornmeal (for dar cuerpo)
8 g sugar (equilibra the choclo)
90 g quinoa (enjuagada)
180 ml water (for cocer the quínoa)
120 g grated queso chanco (for the crust)
40 g breadcrumbs (for the crust)
1 unit egg (lightly beaten, for unir the crust)

Nutrition facts

per serving

476 kcal

Calories

31 g

Protein

34 g

Carbs

22 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

30 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

GlutenDairyEggsSulfites

Instructions

1
1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Lightly grease an approximately 30 x 20 cm baking dish with a little of the vegetable oil.
2
2. Rinse the quinoa under cold water. Place it in a small saucepan with the water and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil; then lower the heat, cover, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
3
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
4
4. Add the green beans to the skillet and cook for 4 minutes, stirring. Add the smoked turkey, cumin, oregano, 1 teaspoon of merkén, half of the black pepper, and part of the salt. Mix well.
5
5. Pour in the white wine and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until nearly fully reduced. Taste and adjust with more salt if needed. Transfer this mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
6
6. Place the corn kernels, whole milk, and basil leaves in a blender or food processor. Blend until creamy but still slightly textured.
7
7. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the blended corn mixture, fine cornmeal, sugar, the remaining salt, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until thickened to a soft corn pudding consistency.
8
8. Pour the corn topping over the turkey and green bean filling, smoothing the surface with a spoon or spatula.
9
9. In a bowl, mix the cooked quinoa, grated queso chanco, breadcrumbs, the remaining 1 teaspoon merkén, the rest of the black pepper, the beaten egg, and the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil until loosely combined.
10
10. Scatter the quinoa mixture over the corn layer without pressing too hard so the crust stays light.
11
11. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 200 °C / 400 °F, until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling. If you want deeper color, broil for 2 to 3 additional minutes, watching closely.
12
12. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving so the bake can set and slice more neatly.

Chef tips

For a more rustic corn topping, blend only two-thirds of the corn and leave the rest whole. If your corn is very sweet, reduce the sugar by half. Letting the bake rest before serving helps it hold its shape better.

Substitutions

You can replace queso chanco with low-moisture mozzarella or another mild melting cheese. The smoked turkey can be swapped for shredded cooked chicken, though it will lose some smoky character. If you do not have white wine, use the same amount of chicken stock.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
View on Amazon
Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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