Food from Chile is not known for its glamour, however it is known to be simple, hearty and made from local ingredients. Although it is probably not as well known as some other South American cuisines, it certainly can be as tasty, if not more so. One of the best things about the food is that the country has different landscapes that shape the food, in the North it is mainly a high altitude desert and central and southern Chile is next to the sea, which means more of an emphasis on seafood in southern cuisine.. The food should be another reason to jump on a plane with LAN and fly to Chile, and here are some dishes that you must try whilst there.

Pastel de choclo

This dish is in many ways similar to a shepherd’s pie and it is made with ground corn (choclo) that forms the crust on top, as well as spices, olives, hard boiled eggs and some form of meat, this is usually minced beef or chicken. This is traditional Chilean comfort food at its best and is served in a paila, which is an earthenware bowl common throughout South America.

Empanadas

This is a pocket of flaky pastry that is filled with minced beef, olives, hard boiled eggs, roast vegetables and cheese. These are available almost anywhere and are a great snack to have when you need one. These are quite different to the Argentinian variety though and are usually bigger in size and flatter.

Chupe

Chupe is a creamy stew that is normally made with seafood and vegetables, but it is a generic term and can refer to other stews made with other types of meat. The sauce is usually made with milk or cream, and a mixture of spices. This dish is similar to curry and is a great comfort food to have on a cool day.

Curanto

This is a shellfish dish, with a type of potato flatbread/pancake and meat, which is traditionally made in a pit with hot stones and covered with Chilean rhubarb leaves in order to form pressure cooker like conditions to cook the food. It is also possible to make this dish in a normal pressure cooker or pot. The pancake or flatbread is known as a milcao and these can be found as street food in other parts of Chile.