Rustic cochayuyo and potato bake with roasted squash, chanco cheese, and warm cilantro pebre

Name: Rustic cochayuyo and potato bake with roasted squash, chanco cheese, and warm cilantro pebre
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Chilena
Ingredients: 4.2 oz dried cochayuyo seaweed; 2 lb potatoes; 1.1 lb kabocha or winter squash; 7.8 oz chanco cheese; 1 1/4 cups onion; 4 cloves garlic; 3/4 cup milk; 3 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1/2 cup vegetable broth; 2 tsp paprika; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro; 1 cup tomato; 1/2 cup red onion; 2 tbsp lime juice; 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

An original Chilean-inspired savory bake that combines sautéed cochayuyo, mashed potatoes, roasted squash, and melted chanco cheese, finished with a warm cilantro-lime pebre. It has a homestyle flavor, creamy texture, and a distinctly Chilean coastal touch.

30 minPrep

55 minCook

85 minTotal

6Servings

Vegetarian

Ingredients

Adjust servings

120 g dried cochayuyo seaweed (remojado 20 minutos en agua hot and chopped fino)
900 g potatoes (peladas and cut diced)
500 g kabocha or winter squash (pelado and cut diced small)
220 g chanco cheese (grated or chopped fino)
180 g onion (chopped diced small)
12 g garlic (chopped fino)
180 ml milk (whole or semidescremada)
45 g butter (divided)
30 ml vegetable oil (divided)
120 ml vegetable broth (for saltear and dar humedad)
4 g paprika (dulce)
2 g ground cumin
2 g dried oregano
8 g salt (or a taste)
2 g black pepper (freshly ground)
20 g fresh cilantro (chopped fino)
200 g tomato (chopped diced small)
80 g red onion (chopped fina)
30 ml lime juice (freshly squeezed)
15 ml apple cider vinegar

Nutrition facts

per serving

366 kcal

Calories

12 g

Protein

42 g

Carbs

17 g

Fat

6 g

Fiber

36 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

Dairy

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Place the squash on a baking tray, toss it with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, a pinch of salt, and pepper, and roast for 25 minutes until golden and tender.
2
While the squash roasts, cook the potatoes in salted water for 18 to 20 minutes, until very tender. Drain well.
3
Simmer the soaked and finely chopped cochayuyo in a small pot with fresh water for 10 minutes to soften it further and reduce excess ocean flavor. Drain again and set aside.
4
In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, paprika, cumin, and oregano, and cook 1 minute more.
5
Add the cochayuyo to the skillet along with the vegetable broth. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until moist but not watery. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
6
Mash the hot potatoes with the milk and remaining butter to make a rustic mash. Add half of the chanco cheese, mix well, and adjust with salt and pepper.
7
In a bowl, gently combine the roasted squash with the cochayuyo mixture to form the filling.
8
Preheat or adjust the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F for baking the casserole. Grease a baking dish with a little butter. Spread half of the mashed potatoes on the bottom, add all of the cochayuyo and squash filling, and cover with the remaining mashed potatoes.
9
Sprinkle the remaining chanco cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes at 200 °C / 400 °F. Then broil or gratin for 5 more minutes, until the surface is golden and bubbling.
10
While the casserole bakes, make the warm pebre. In a small skillet, gently warm the tomato, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and apple cider vinegar for 2 minutes, just enough to warm through and blend the flavors without breaking down the tomato.
11
Let the bake rest for 5 minutes out of the oven. Serve hot with the warm cilantro pebre spooned over the top or on the side.

Chef tips

For deeper flavor, chop the cochayuyo very finely so it blends better into the filling. If you want a crispier top, make ridges on the mashed potato with a fork before gratinating.

Substitutions

You can replace chanco cheese with mantecoso or low-moisture mozzarella. Kabocha squash can be replaced with butternut squash, and the cilantro in the pebre can be swapped for parsley if you prefer a milder flavor.

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
T-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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