Traditional Chilean Dishes
Prepare Milcao Chilote, a Classic of Chile
Learn how to prepare milcao chilote, a classic of Chiloé cuisine with cooked potato, raw grated potato, and pork cracklings. It turns golden on the outside, tender on the inside, and is ideal for accompanying meats, stews, or enjoying freshly made.
This milcao chilote combines two textures of potato with savory pork cracklings. The key is to squeeze the raw potato very well and cook the disks over medium heat to achieve a golden crust and a hot, soft interior.
01
Ingredients
Have everything ready before you begin.
- ✓750 g of floury potatoes for boiling
- ✓750 g of raw potatoes for grating
- ✓250 g of pork cracklings
- ✓1½ teaspoon of salt
- ✓4 tablespoons of vegetable oil
02
Step-by-step method
- 01
Wash the potatoes for boiling
Wash the potatoes for boiling very well. Put them in a pot with enough water and cook them with the skin on for 25 to 35 minutes, until they are completely tender when pierced with a knife.
- 02
While the potatoes are cooking, peel the raw potatoes and grate them...
While the potatoes are cooking, peel the raw potatoes and grate them on the fine side of the grater.
- 03
Pass the grated potato to a clean kitchen cloth or a fine cloth and...
Pass the grated potato to a clean kitchen cloth or a fine cloth and squeeze it firmly over a container to remove as much liquid as possible. You can also use a colander and press with a spoon. Set the squeezed pulp aside.
- 04
Let the extracted liquid rest for a few minutes
Let the extracted liquid rest for a few minutes. If starch settles at the bottom, carefully remove the water from the surface and reserve that starch to reincorporate it into the mixture if you want a lighter dough.
- 05
When the cooked potatoes are tender, drain them and wait a few minutes
When the cooked potatoes are tender, drain them and wait a few minutes. Peel them while they are still warm and mash them with a potato masher or a fork until you get a smooth, lump-free puree.
- 06
Add the raw potato puree and 1½ teaspoon of salt to the puree
Add the raw potato puree and 1½ teaspoon of salt to the puree. Mix first with a spoon and then with clean hands until you get a moist, but moldable dough that can hold its shape when pressed.
- 07
Cut the cracklings into small pieces
Cut the cracklings into small pieces. You can reserve some to place in the center of each milcao and mix the rest with the dough.
- 08
Divide the dough into eight portions
Divide the dough into eight portions. Form a ball with each portion and flatten it until you get a disk about 1.5 cm thick.
- 09
Place some of the cracklings in the center of each disk, close the...
Place some of the cracklings in the center of each disk, close the dough around, and gently flatten it again. Alternatively, you can mix all the cracklings directly with the dough before forming the milcaos.
- 10
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the 4 tablespoons of...
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil. When hot, place the disks, leaving space between them.
- 11
Cook the milcaos for 5 or 6 minutes on the first side, until a golden...
Cook the milcaos for 5 or 6 minutes on the first side, until a golden crust forms. Flip them with a wide spatula and cook for another 5 or 6 minutes.
- 12
Keep the heat medium so they brown without burning and heat through...
Keep the heat medium so they brown without burning and heat through well in the center. If they are especially thick, reduce the heat a bit and cover the skillet for a couple of minutes; remove the lid at the end to preserve the crust.
- 13
Serve the milcaos hot, alone or as a side dish to meats, stews, and...
Serve the milcaos hot, alone or as a side dish to meats, stews, and other preparations of Chilotan cuisine.
- Squeeze the raw potato very well to avoid a dough that is too watery or loose.
- The cooked potato must be completely tender before preparing the puree.
- Do not add flour: in this version, the starch recovered from the potato itself can help bind the dough.
- Cook over medium heat. A heat that is too high browns the outside before heating the center, while one that is too low can make them absorb too much oil.
- Thin disks are crisper; thick ones are softer and more substantial.
- If you prepare the milcaos in advance, you can reheat them in a skillet over low heat to recover some of their exterior texture.
- You can also bake them at 200 °C on a lightly oiled tray, flipping them halfway through cooking, although the skillet provides a more golden surface.