Pâté chinois with beef and lentils
75 min · 30 g protein · 410 cals / serving
Quebec's shepherd's pie in its three proper layers: seasoned beef, sweet corn (creamed and whole kernel), and a golden mash on top. Here half the meat layer is lentils, which soak up the beef flavor without anyone noticing, and the mash is half cauliflower, so the pan goes further for the same comfort.
Ingredients
Mash
- 600 g (1 1/4 lb) gold potatoes, peeled, in chunks
- 1 medium head cauliflower, in florets
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) skim milk, warm
- 2 tsp butter
- 1 tsp salt
Meat layer
- 1 tsp canola oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) ground beef (95% lean), extra-lean
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 500 ml (2 cups) cooked lentils, brown or green, home-cooked or canned, drained and rinsed
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) beef broth
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Corn layer
- 1 can (398 ml) creamed corn
- 375 ml (1 1/2 cups) frozen corn
Mash
- a pinch paprika
Steps
- Boil the potatoes and cauliflower in salted water until a knife slides through, about 18 minutes. Drain well and let them steam dry in the pot for 2 minutes, then mash with the warm milk, butter and half the salt. Heat the oven to 375°F.
- Meanwhile, soften the onion in the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, 5 minutes. Add the beef and garlic and cook, breaking the meat up, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F, 6–8 minutes.
- Stir in the lentils, broth, Worcestershire, thyme, pepper and the rest of the salt. Simmer until the liquid has mostly gone, about 5 minutes, mashing a few lentils with the spoon so the layer holds together. Taste and add a pinch more salt if it needs it.
- Spread the meat in a 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13-inch) baking dish and press it down lightly. Stir the creamed corn and corn kernels together and spread them over the meat.
- Spoon the mash over the corn and spread it to the edges, then rough up the top with a fork and dust with paprika. Bake 25–30 minutes, until bubbling at the sides and golden on the ridges. Rest 10 minutes before cutting.
Good to know
Will people notice the lentils?
Rarely. Cooked into the beef with the broth and Worcestershire, they take on the same savory flavor and the same crumbly texture. Brown or green lentils work; red ones turn to mush.
Why both creamed corn and kernels?
That combination is the signature of pâté chinois: the creamed corn makes the middle layer soft and sweet, and the kernels give it bite.
Can I assemble it ahead?
Yes. Cover and refrigerate the assembled dish up to a day, then bake it 40–45 minutes from cold, until the center is hot.
Per
- Calories
- 89
- Protein
- (31%)
- 7 g
- Fat
- (18%)
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- (51%)
- 12 g
- of which sugar
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 205 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 2459 kcal goes into the pot and 3088 g of ingredients comes out as about 2750 g of food: 89 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.