Lima Bean and Conger Bake with Merkén, Chuchoca Crust and Confit Onions

Name: Lima Bean and Conger Bake with Merkén, Chuchoca Crust and Confit Onions
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: chilena
Ingredients: 17.6 oz conger eel, cubed; 3 cups cooked lima beans; 2 medium / 10.6 oz onion, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp garlic, minced; 2 cups / 8.8 oz winter squash, small diced; 1/3 cup white wine; 1 cup vegetable or fish stock; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1 cup chuchoca; 1 cup / 4.2 oz Chanco cheese, grated; 2 eggs; 1/2 cup milk; 2 tbsp oil; 1 1/2 tbsp butter; 2 tsp merkén; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 2 tbsp parsley, chopped; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper

An original Chilean-style bake combining creamy lima beans, seared conger eel and confit onions under a rustic chuchoca and melted cheese topping. Comforting, flavorful and distinctly Chilean in character.

25 minPrep

45 minCook

70 minTotal

4Servings

High Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

500 g conger eel, cubed (skinless ni espinas)
450 g cooked lima beans (escurridos)
300 g onion, thinly sliced (for confitar)
12 g garlic, minced
250 g winter squash, small diced
80 ml white wine
250 ml vegetable or fish stock
120 ml heavy cream
90 g chuchoca (maíz dry ground grueso)
120 g Chanco cheese, grated
2 units eggs (batidos)
120 ml milk
30 ml oil
20 g butter
6 g merkén
2 g dried oregano
1 g ground cumin
8 g parsley, chopped
6 g salt (or a taste)
1 g black pepper (freshly ground)

Nutrition facts

per serving

579 kcal

Calories

34 g

Protein

38 g

Carbs

30 g

Fat

8 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

DairyEggsFishSulfites

Instructions

1
1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish with a little of the oil.
2
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 12 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden. Add half of the garlic, the white wine, and cook 3 minutes more until slightly reduced. Set aside.
3
3. In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the squash, the rest of the garlic, cumin, oregano, 1 teaspoon of merkén, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.
4
4. Add the cooked lima beans and the stock. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, gently mashing some of the beans with a spoon to create a creamy texture. Add the cream and stir. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.
5
5. Pat the conger eel cubes dry, season them with the remaining 1 teaspoon of merkén and a pinch of salt. Add them to the bean mixture and cook for 2 minutes, just to lightly sear; they will finish cooking in the oven. Stir in the chopped parsley.
6
6. Transfer the bean, squash, and conger mixture to the baking dish. Spread the confit onions evenly over the top.
7
7. In a bowl, mix the chuchoca with the milk, beaten eggs, and three quarters of the grated Chanco cheese. Stir until you have a thick paste. Spread this mixture over the confit onions and finish with the remaining Chanco cheese on top.
8
8. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes at 200 °C / 400 °F, until the top is golden, set, and bubbling around the edges.
9
9. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving so the bake can firm up. Serve hot.

Chef tips

For a crispier topping, broil for the last 3 minutes. For deeper flavor, let the conger eel sit with the merkén for 10 minutes before adding it.

Substitutions

You can replace the conger eel with firm hake or reineta. If Chanco cheese is unavailable, use any semi-hard melting cheese. The chuchoca can be blended with a little coarse polenta for a softer texture.

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
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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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