Pâté Chinois (French Canadian Shepherd’s Pie)
Pâté Chinois is a regular on French-Canadian families’ dinner tables. Particularly adored by children, this reinterpretation of Shepherd’s Pie stands out with its three layers of minced meat, corn, and mashed potato.
There’s something extraordinary about comfort food. It can transport us back to simpler times, conjuring up memories of cozy evenings and family gatherings. One such classic comfort food dish that holds a special place in many hearts is Pâté Chinois. This humble yet delicious dish hails from Quebec, Canada, and consists of three layers of seasoned ground beef, corn, and creamy mashed potatoes.
This classic French Canadian dish is a staple in Quebec and often the subject of light-hearted jokes for its simplicity. The TV show La Petite Vie humorously captured this by showing a character hilariously messing up its basic layers. While anyone can master Pâté Chinois, the toppings can vary—kids traditionally douse it in ketchup, though my family preferred mustard for an extra tangy kick!
Origin Theories
The exact origins of Pâté Chinois, or “Chinese Pie,” are somewhat mysterious. One popular theory suggests it developed during Canada’s National Railroad construction era, where Chinese and Irish labourers worked side by side. The Irish, familiar with dishes like Cottage or Shepherd’s Pie, reportedly adapted their recipe using corn, a common Canadian crop, to create a hearty, layered meal. The association with Chinese origins is thought to stem from the large presence of Chinese workers, though they likely had little to do with its creation. Thus, while it bears a “Chinese” name, it owes much of its inspiration to Irish traditions and the resourcefulness of immigrant communities.
Homemade Creamed Corn
If creamed corn is readily available at your local grocery store, it can be a convenient option to save time. However, finding creamed corn can be challenging in specific areas like where I live. In such cases, create your creamy corn layer by combining cream cheese and cream. The process is simple: blend the corn, cream cheese, and cream to achieve a coarse texture. This homemade mixture adds a delightful creaminess and a subtle touch of sourness to the corn, resulting in a perfectly balanced middle layer.
Meat Choice
Unlike Shepherd’s Pie, which uses lamb, the traditional Pâté Chinois is made solely with beef, but I like a mix of half pork and half meat. This is up to you; let your inner chef shine here! I added a soft onion and a tad of garlic to the meat, but the last one wasn’t in the traditional version either.
The Toppings
The paprika sprinkled on top is typical, too, and is usually added at the end to keep its flavour and colour intact. There is a whole world of paprika out there for this version, and I highly recommend it; I’ve used a smoked Paprika from Spain calledPimenton de la Vera. It brings this smoky touch to the dish! Simply irresistible! In the past, the mashed potato layer on top was not typically gratiné with cheese, as depicted in this recipe. However, this thin layer of Parmesan topping has become a standard addition in the past 10-15 years. Aside from enhancing the visual appeal, it adds a hint of umami and a delightful salty crust on the top, making it even more irresistible.
The Three Layers
A distinct feature of Pâté Chinois is often its preparation in a transparent dish, such as Pyrex, which allows the three layers to be visible. This presentation adds to the dish’s appeal, especially for children. If a child has texture sensitivities, this meal can be particularly appealing because it consists of three distinct, clear layers with few added ingredients. It provides a clear visual understanding of what is being served, often resulting in hassle-free consumption.
Other Kid-Friendly Recipes
Paté Chinois (French Canadian Shepherd’s Pie)
Equipment
- 1 pyrex rectangle shape or large oval casserole.
Ingredients
Meat Layer *Bottom Layer
- 500 g minced beef
- 500 g minced pork
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- salt and pepper
Corn Cream *Middle Layer
- 600 g corn kernels
- 1 tbsp cream cheese
- 1 tbsp cream
Mashed Potatoes *Top Layer
- 6 potatoes large ones
- 50 g butter
- 400 ml milk
- ⅓ tsp nutmeg *optional
- parmesan to taste
- paprika Smoked Spanish (Pimenton de la Vera)
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Start by peeling and cutting the potato in four to cook faster, and add in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil; let cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Cut the onion and garlic and cook with olive oil in a skillet at medium-low heat to soften them, about 10 minutes.
- Bring the heat to medium-high heat and add more oil and the minced meats. Cook until brown for about 5-6 minutes, then transfer to the Pyrex or casserole.
- Make a corn cream with one corn can, the cream cheese and cream, and blend it.
- Add the corn cream and the rest of the corn on top of the minced meat layer.
- Once the potato is tender, discard the water, add the butter, milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and mash it until thickly mashed (no purée, please).
- Add the mashed potato layer gently to the corn layer and spread to cover the surface.
- Add a bit of parmesan or cheese of your choice on top.
- Cook in the oven at 200°C (400°F) for 25 minutes or until the top is golden.
- Take out of the oven, add a sprinkle of paprika and salt, and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying a full recipe to any social media is prohibited.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Share your thoughts on it! Leave a comment or share a picture and tag me @littlenomadsrecipes on Instagram.
what a nostalgic recipe. We love that added corn and the little ones loved it
Somehow, even the most picky kid like this one! It’s the magic of pâté chinois I guess! Enjoy!
Hubby was born in Montreal. I am sure he will love this for dinner. Comfort food is always delicious.
The ultimate comfort food for hubby for sure!
So much better than traditional Shepherd’s pie! The touch of cream and cream cheese adds so much richness to the corn layer, it’s delectable. The whole family enjoyed it!
This is my way to reproduce the cream corn, which is impossible to find where I live.
This is such a delicious, cozy meal. The addition of the creamy corn is a perfect touch. My family gobbled it up!
Cozy, is the word! Glad your family liked it!
Such a delicious and comforting dish! My boys went in for seconds!
Careful, those teenagers will need a third portion soon!
How interesting to learn about the origins of this, I was curious about that given the name!
Well, it’s still a mystery but my theory is by far more probable than others.
I love this spin on Shepherd’s Pie and I’m so happy I found this recipe. I had leftover cream cheese to use up from making stuffed jalapenos and this was the perfect way to use it in. I made an extra casserole and froze it for later too.
Sour cream cheese and sweet corn!! What a divine duo!
What a fabulous family dinner! Thanks for the trick on what to do if you don’t have creamed corn. I didn’t have any and was still able to make this for the family. THey loved it.
Even better this way! This cream cheese goes a long way!
My mother who is French Canadian, made a version of this but spiced like a Tortierre; cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, allspice.
Yes! I bet it’s nice too! I like a creative touch!