Pastel de choclo, humitas, and harvest flavors

Maize shapes Chile’s “cocina de campo.” Pastel de choclo layers a basil-scented fresh-corn purée over savory pino (onion-beef filling with egg, olives, raisins) and bakes it until caramelized—a countryside favorite with roots linking Mapuche cooks and colonial kitchens. In summer, humitas wrap a sweet, fresh-corn paste in husks and steam; unlike many tamales, they rely on tender choclo rather than nixtamalized masa. Served with tomato-pebre or sugar, they show how Chile balances savory and lightly sweet corn traditions.