Modern Pâté Chinois

Taste

Pâté chinois is the dish every Québécois grew up eating — ground beef on the bottom, corn in the middle, mashed potatoes on top. This version keeps the architecture but upgrades the materials: grass-fed beef from Brylee Farm gets browned with onion, garlic, and a dash of Worcestershire for depth, while the frozen sweet corn from Agri-Fusion stays faithfully simple. The real departure is the mash — a blend of yellow potatoes, parsnips, and celeriac that adds sweetness and a faintly earthy, celery-like note you don’t get from potatoes alone. Everything layers into a baking dish and finishes under the broiler until the top is golden and crackled.

Instructions

1. Boil the root vegetables. Place the potatoes, parsnips, and celeriac in a large pot. Cover with cold, salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until completely tender when pierced with a knife, about 18–20 minutes. Drain well and return to the pot. ⏱︎ 20 min

2. Brown the beef. While the roots boil, heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the ground beef, breaking it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, and cook until well-browned and no longer pink, 7–8 minutes. Spoon off excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan. ⏱︎ 8 min

3. Build the flavour base. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and stir to coat the meat — let it darken slightly, about 1 minute. Add the Worcestershire sauce and thyme, toss to combine, and season generously with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. ⏱︎ 4 min

4. Mash the roots. Add the butter to the drained pot of roots and mash until smooth, or use a potato ricer for an even silkier texture. Stir in the warm cream and season with salt and pepper. The mash should be thick enough to hold its shape when spread — add a splash more cream if it’s too stiff.

5. Preheat the broiler. Position an oven rack about 15 cm (6 inches) below the broiler element and set the broiler to high.

6. Assemble the layers. Spread the beef mixture evenly across the bottom of a 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13 inch) baking dish. Scatter the frozen corn kernels in an even layer over the meat — press down gently so they settle. Spread the root mash over the corn, smoothing it to the edges with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Drag a fork across the surface to create ridges (they’ll crisp under the broiler).

7. Broil until golden. Place the dish under the broiler and cook until the top is deeply golden with charred ridges, 4–6 minutes. Watch it closely — broilers vary, and the top can go from golden to burnt quickly. Let the pâté chinois rest 5 minutes before serving. ⏱︎ 6 min

Tips

• Make it ahead: Assemble the full dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, bake at 190 °C (375 °F) for 25–30 minutes until heated through, then broil for the crispy top.
• Substitution: If you can’t find celeriac, use an equal weight of extra parsnips or turnip. The flavour shifts slightly but the texture stays the same.
• Corn variation: For a more traditional feel, pulse half the corn in a food processor until creamy and fold the whole kernels into it — this mimics the classic creamed corn layer.
• Leftovers: Pâté chinois reheats beautifully. Scoop individual portions into an oven-safe dish and reheat at 180 °C (350 °F) for 15 minutes.
• Finishing touch: A light dusting of smoked paprika on top before broiling adds colour and a subtle smokiness.