Pastel De Jaiba Chilean Blue Crab Pie Recipes

CRAB PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400ºF.
• Combine the butter and flour in a skillet over medium heat.
• Stir for 3 to 4 minutes, or until well blended.
• Add the onions, celery, salt, and cayenne.
• Cook, stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly soft.
• Add the milk.
• Stir for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly.
• Add the crabmeat, parsley, and green onions.
• Stir and cook for about 1 minute.
• Remove from the heat.
• Pour the mixture into a 9-inch glass pie dish or 6 small ramekins.
• Combine the bread crumbs and the rub.
• Sprinkle over the top of the crabmeat mixture.
• Sprinkle the cheese over the bread crumbs.
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until bubbly and brown.
• Remove from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes before serving.

PASTEL DE JAIBAS (CHILEAN CRAB CASSEROLE)

Steps:

• To make the aji chileno: Cut the chile peppers in half, discarding all or almost all of the seeds. Marinate overnight or at least for several hours in vinegar to soften the skins. After marinating, discard liquid and purée peppers in a food processor with oil and garlic. Keep the aji in a sealed jar to add to the pastel de jaibas. To make the crab casserole: Clean the crabmeat, making sure to separate out any shell or cartilage. Mix bread crumbs and milk in a bowl and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan and sauté onions with butter, garlic, paprika, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Deglaze pan with white wine and cook down for 2 to 3 minutes, adding the stock. Next, add in crabmeat, bread and milk mixture, and cream. Cook 5 minutes, stirring the whole time. Season with 2 teaspoons of aji chileno, or more to taste. Check overall seasonings and adjust to taste. By now the mixture should be moist and creamy, but not runny. If too runny, let simmer another 5 minutes until thickened. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F. Divide mixture into one large clay pot, called a pomaire in Chile after the artisan town that specializes in producing them, or into 8 individual gratin dishes. (Editor's note: intrepid chefs can even load the mixture back into the empty crab shells.) Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake until golden brown, about 5 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately.

CHILEAN POTATO PIE (PASTEL DE PAPAS)

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
• Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two. Mash the hot potatoes with butter and salt. Let cool until just warm; stir in the beaten egg until smooth.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste; continue cooking until the tomatoes soften and begin to lose their shape. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the panquehue cheese and parsley; season to taste with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
• Spread half of the mashed potato mixture into the prepared baking dish. Cover with the ground beef mixture, then spread the remaining mashed potatoes over the beef to completely cover.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the potatoes are hot and the top is lightly browned, about 40 minutes.