Chilean Roasted Corn and Green Bean Pastelera with Merkén Braised Shredded Beef

Name: Chilean Roasted Corn and Green Bean Pastelera with Merkén Braised Shredded Beef
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 105 min
Total time: 140 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Chilena
Ingredients: 2 lb beef brisket; 6 cups corn kernels; 10.5 oz green beans; 2 cups onion; 1 tbsp garlic; 3/4 cup white wine; 2 cups beef broth; 9 oz winter squash; 3/4 cup fresh basil; 1 cup whole milk; 3 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1/4 cup fine cornmeal; 1 tbsp merkén; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp sugar; 2 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 4 oz Chanco cheese

An original Chilean-inspired recipe featuring a creamy roasted corn, green bean, and basil pastelera layered with merkén-braised shredded beef and golden onions. Baked until juicy inside and lightly browned on top, it is a deeply comforting and distinctly Chilean dish.

35 minPrep

105 minCook

140 minTotal

6Servings

High Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

900 g beef brisket (en trozo)
900 g corn kernels (fresh or descongelado)
300 g green beans (cut en trozos small)
300 g onion (diced finos, divided)
15 g garlic (chopped)
180 ml white wine (divided)
500 ml beef broth (low sodium)
250 g winter squash (pelado and diced small)
20 g fresh basil (leaves sueltas)
240 ml whole milk
40 g butter (divided)
30 ml vegetable oil (divided)
30 g fine cornmeal (for dar cuerpo)
8 g merkén (divided)
2 g ground cumin
2 g dried oregano
4 g sugar (optional, for equilibrar the choclo)
12 g salt (or a taste)
2 g black pepper (freshly ground)
120 g Chanco cheese (grated)

Nutrition facts

per serving

548 kcal

Calories

37 g

Protein

29 g

Carbs

31 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

25 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

DairySulfites

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Spread the corn on a baking tray, toss with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and roast for 18 minutes, stirring halfway through, until lightly golden. Set aside.
2
Lower the oven temperature to 170 °C / 340 °F for the beef.
3
Heat a large pot with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Season the brisket with 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, cumin, and half of the merkén. Sear for 4 to 5 minutes per side.
4
Add half of the onion and half of the garlic to the pot. Cook for 3 minutes until fragrant. Pour in 120 ml (1/2 cup) of the white wine and let it reduce for 2 minutes.
5
Add the beef broth and oregano. Cover and cook in the oven at 170 °C / 340 °F for 90 minutes, or until the meat is very tender. Remove, shred, and mix with some of its cooking juices to keep it moist.
6
While the beef cooks, boil the squash in salted water for 10 to 12 minutes, until tender. Drain and set aside.
7
Cook the green beans in boiling salted water for 4 minutes. Drain and briefly cool to keep their color. Set aside.
8
In a large skillet, melt half of the butter. Add the remaining onion and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until softly golden. Add the remaining garlic and cook 1 minute more.
9
Stir in the roasted corn, cooked squash, milk, fine cornmeal, sugar if using, basil, the remaining merkén, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes until creamy. Partially mash or blend with an immersion blender for a rustic texture.
10
Add the green beans to the corn mixture and stir well. Adjust with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
11
Grease a baking dish with the remaining butter. Spread the shredded brisket on the bottom along with a little of its cooking juices. Cover with the corn and green bean pastelera mixture.
12
Sprinkle Chanco cheese on top. Bake at 200 °C / 400 °F for 18 to 20 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Chef tips

For deeper flavor, roast the corn until it develops a few toasted spots. If the pastelera becomes too thick, stir in a few extra spoonfuls of beef juices or milk before baking.

Substitutions

You can replace brisket with cooked shredded chuck roast. Chanco cheese can be swapped for low-moisture mozzarella or a mild melting cheese. If you do not have fine cornmeal, use a small amount of finely ground chuchoca.

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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