Recipe: Baked Eggs in Creamy Corn Sauce with Basil (Huevos con Pilco de Choclo)

BAKED EGGS IN CREAMY CORN SAUCE WITH BASIL
(HUEVOS CON PILCO DE CHOCLO)

"El pilco, a native corn dish, has a name that sounds like a song. This thick, creamy corn sauce, somehow always flavored with basil, turns up in many local dishes. Sometimes meat is cooked in the sauce, sometimes it is paired with other vegetables such as green beans, potatoes, or white beans for a purely vegetarian meal; and sometimes it is simply served as a side dish with roasted meats or poultry.

The following recipe has become my favorite brunch dish. The chunky, tasty corn mixture makes a wonderful accompaniment to baked eggs. It's easy, healthy, and surprisingly good. Just don't forget to serve a pungent fresh tomato salsa, for example, Chancho en Piedra, alongside in the pure Chilean tradition."

1 tablespoon butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh basil
4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
4 or 8 eggs (1 or 2 per person)
1 1/2 cups whole milk or half-and-half
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205C). Butter 4 individual earthenware dishes or 1 large one.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and saute until softened but not browned, 4 minutes.

Add the corn and milk. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. (Frozen corn will take a little longer than fresh because it releases more water.) Season generously with salt, black pepper, and basil. (The dish can be prepared in advance up to this point. Reheat the corn mixture, adding a little milk if necessary, before continuing.)

Spoon the corn mixture evenly into the prepared dishes. Make an indentation in the corn mixture in the center of each dish for the eggs. Carefully break 1 or 2 eggs at a time into a bowl, and let them slide into each indentation. Season with salt and black pepper, and dot with the butter.

Bake 7 to 10 minutes, until the egg white is milky and the yolk is set but still soft. Serve immediately.

Servings: 4
Source: The Chilean Kitchen by Ruth Van Waerebeek-Gonzalez