When I lived in Aspen in the early 90s, I worked at the most extravagant restaurant in town. If customers asked for Parmesan on their seafood pasta, the captain would come out and explain the chef was vehemently opposed to his fish being "cheesed". This did not always sit well with diners paying $45 for a plate of noodles ($101 in 2024 currency), but the lesson has stuck with me today. Some recipes for Pastel de Jaiba incorporate cheese in the mixture, but perhaps due to my Abetone days, I opted to riff off the ones that have a golden layer of cheese baked on top rather than throughout. For me, hot sauce makes this dish sing. But I'm admitted hot food junkie, so feel free to omit altogether.
Crab Pie (Pastel de Jaiba) with Aji Chileno
1 cup half-and-half OR ½ milk + ½ cream, heavy or light
1½-2 cups soft white bread torn into small pieces, about 3 slices or 1 large roll (I used a large, GF hamburger roll)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup fish stock or clam juice
1 lb lump crab meat
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
1-2 teaspoons of Aji Chileno, Tabasco, or other hot sauce, to taste (optional)
additional salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or gouda
Aji Chileno
5 jalapeño peppers
½ clove garlic, peeled
½ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
If making the Aji Chileno, at least 12 hours but up to 24 hours before starting the pastel, cut the chile peppers in half and remove the stems and seeds. Put garlic and peppers in a small container with a lid, add the vinegar, cover, and refrigerate. Before starting on the pastel, purée the peppers, garlic, and vinegar, along with the olive oil, in a small blender or food processor. You can optionally add a teaspoon or two of the hot sauce to the pie and serve the remainder alongside of the pastel.
Heat oven to 400°. In a small bowl, tear apart the bread and soak in the half-and-half or milk and cream. After a few minutes, mash with a fork to obtain a rough paste.
In a large sauté pan, heat the oil. Add the onion, cook stirring over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until golden brown. Add the garlic, oregano, paprika, and salt. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until garlic starts to color and spices are fragrant. Add the tomato paste and sauté for another minute or two, until the paste darkens.
Deglaze the pan with the the fish stock or clam juice. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, until all is incorporated and starting to thicken.
Add full contents of bread and milk bowl. Mix thoroughly to combine. Add in the crab and parsley, stirring gently. Add one teaspoon of hot sauce, if using, and taste for seasoning, adding more hot sauce, salt, and/or pepper if desired.
Remove from heat and scoop into either a 2-3 quart gratin dish or ramekin or 4 individual oven-safe ramekins. Top with the grated cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Hearts of Palm and Corn Salad (Ensalada de Choclo)
2 ears corn on the cob, cooked and cooled*
3 hearts of palm, diced, optional
1 small Roma or ½ beefsteak tomato, seeded and diced into small cubes
1 tablespoon finely diced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives and/or parsley
salt and pepper to taste
*To cook corn easily, wrap husked corn in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 1 minute per ear
Stand corn on it's flat end and cut kernels from cob. Place in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving time.
Avocado-Celery Salad (Apio Palta)
2 ripe avocado
4 celery stalks
1 large lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 small radishes, finely chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped black olive (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Chop the avocados into small-ish pieces and put into a bowl. Toss with juice from the lemon.
Cut celery lengthwise, then into a dice. Drizzle with olive oil and gently mix everything together. Finish with a pinch of salt and pepper.
FUN FACTS:
Chile has the world's longest swimming pool, located in Algarrobo, which is the length of 20 Olympic pools.
Chinchorro mummies were discovered in the Atacama Desert in 1917 and date back to around 5000-7000 B.C.
According to NASA, the Atacama is the driest desert in the world. Some of the weather stations there have never had any rainfall!
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