Pate Chinois

It was a cold and rainy weekend here in Toronto.  The kind of weather that makes you want to stay home with a big blanket and watch movies all day. It was the perfect day for comfort food.  

When I crave comforting food, I always choose classic recipes from home.  Paté chinois is a popular recipe from Quebec and is very similar to a Shepherd's Pie.  The origins of this dish are said to come from New England where the locals would prepare a dish called China Pie and would consist of meat, corn and potatoes.  The recipe was later imported to Quebec where French Canadian translated the name to Paté Chinois.

This dish is very easy to assemble, requires little time in the kitchen and a good way to use  leftover mashed potatoes.  

Paté Chinois
yields 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 recipe of mashed potatoes
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onions, thinly chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 can of cream corn
• salt & pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F
Prepare the mashed potatoes as directed here.
In a large skillet, cook the onions in the olive oil over medium high heat for a few minutes.
Add the ground beef and brown the meat until it is fully cooked.  Season with salt & pepper.
Drain the excess fat.
Pack down the meat mixture at the bottom of deep oven resistant dish to form the first layer.

Spread the cream corn on top as the second layer.

Using a spatula, spread the mashed potatoes on top as the third and last layer.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until you see the cream corn bubble up to the surface.
Finish off on broil for a few minutes to brown the top of the paté chinois.

Rest for 10 minutes before serving with some good old Heinz Ketchup.

Enjoy!

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