Ingredients
Corn
- 8fresh corn cobs
- or 800 g sweetcorn kernels
- 200 mlmilk
The batter
- 400 gParaguay cheese, queso Paraguay
- or 400 g mild fresh cheese, crumbled
- 5eggs
- 150 gbutter or lard, melted
- 2onions, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoonssalt
- black pepper
- 3 tablespoonscornmeal, if needed
To finish
- a little butter, for the tray
- extra crumbled cheese
To serve
- asado, grilled meat
- a tomato and onion salad
Directions
- Pull the husks and silks off the cobs. Stand each cob upright in a wide bowl. Cut the kernels off downwards with a knife. Do not skip that scraping step.
- Put the kernels in a blender or processor. Add a little of the milk to help it move. Blend it to a coarse rough paste. Do not blend it completely smooth. Rinse feta first if it is very salty. Chop both of the onions very finely.
- Fry them gently in a little of the butter. Give them about eight minutes until soft. Let them cool before they go in. Put the ground corn in a large bowl.
- Add the crumbled cheese to it. Beat the eggs and add them in. Add the melted butter and the cooled onion. Add the rest of the milk to it. Season it with salt and black pepper. Mix it all together thoroughly. It should be thick and spoonable. Add cornmeal a spoonful at a time if it is loose.
- Add a little more milk if it is very stiff. It should hold its shape on a spoon. Butter a wide shallow baking tray generously. Spoon the batter in and level the top. It should be about four centimetres deep.
- Scatter extra crumbled cheese over the top. Heat the oven to 180C before baking. Bake it for about fifty minutes. Judging when it is done takes a look.
- Let it stand for at least fifteen minutes. Cutting it hot gives a collapsing mess. Cut it into generous even squares. Lift them out with a fish slice. Serve it alongside grilled meat. It keeps three days refrigerated.
Technique
- Guazu means big in Guarani, an official language of Paraguay spoken alongside Spanish by most of the population.
- Ordinary chipa is a small firm roll made from cassava starch, while chipa guazu is a soft fresh corn casserole containing no cassava at all.
- Scraping the cobs after cutting the kernels off releases the starchy milk that binds the whole dish.
Substitutions
- Frozen sweetcorn is a much better substitute than tinned, which has lost most of its starchy liquid.
- Fresh mozzarella, a mild feta or halloumi all stand in for queso Paraguay.
Variations
- Some households add cooked meat or sausage to the batter.
- A version with more cheese is baked for celebrations.
- Sopa paraguaya is the related cornbread, firmer and made with cornmeal.
History
Big chipa of fresh corn, cheese, egg and milk baked in a tray and served alongside asado.
Frequently asked questions
What is Chipa guazú?
Chipa guazú is a salad & side from Paraguay: fresh-corn and cheese casserole, classic asado companion. Big chipa of fresh corn, cheese, egg and milk baked in a tray and served alongside asado.
How long does Chipa guazú take to make?
Chipa guazú takes 30 minutes of preparation and 50 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 8. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Chipa guazú?
Yes, within limits. Frozen sweetcorn is a much better substitute than tinned, which has lost most of its starchy liquid. Fresh mozzarella, a mild feta or halloumi all stand in for queso Paraguay.
What is the most important thing to get right in Chipa guazú?
Pull the husks and silks off the cobs. Stand each cob upright in a wide bowl. Cut the kernels off downwards with a knife. Do not skip that scraping step.
