Buenas noches! Or boa noite in Brazil! Our South America Bake is almost like a South American version of shepherd’s pie, with corn replacing the potato top layer, all while still keeping things as creamy and rich as you might hope! The beef layer is wonderfully seasoned and meaty, and there’s even hard-boiled eggs and chicken to really turn this into a protein-packed feast! This South America Bake shows that great culinary ideas can come from places you weren’t even expecting… and you’ll wonder why you didn’t think to look there before!
Ingredients
For the beef mixture:
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the corn topping:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cups corn
- 3/4 cup cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil
For the casserole:
- 4 eggs, hard-boiled, chopped or sliced
- 1/2 cup olives
- 1 chicken breast, cooked and chopped
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
Step 3 –In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the onions and the garlic in the oil until the onions become slightly translucent, about 3 minutes.
Step 4 –Add the ground beef, the cumin, the paprika, and 1 teaspoon of the salt and cook until nicely browned, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 5 –Melt the butter in the pan or skillet.
Step 6 –Blend the corn and the cream in a blender or food processor.
Step 7 –Add the corn mixture to the pan and simmer until heated and slightly bubby, about 5 minutes.
Step 8 –Add the basil leaves.
Step 9 –Add the meat mixture to the prepared baking pan.
Step 10 –Layer the eggs, the olives, the chicken, and the raisins in the baking pan.
Step 11 –Add the corn mixture on top of the layers.
Step 12 –Sprinkle the sugar on top.
Step 13 –Bake until heated through, about 30 minutes. Optionally, broil for up to 5 minutes at the end to brown the crust.
Step 14 –Serve.
