Pâté chinois facts for kids
A pâté chinois; half nibblets, half cream corn
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| Type | Savoury pie Casserole |
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| Place of origin | Quebec, Canada |
| Main ingredients | Ground beef, onions, maize or creamed corn, mashed potatoes, vinegar |
Pâté chinois is a popular dish from Quebec, Canada. Its name means "Chinese Pie" in French. It's a lot like the shepherd's pie from England. It's a traditional meal in both Québécois and Acadian cooking.
Contents
What's in Pâté chinois?
This yummy dish is made in layers.
- The bottom layer has ground beef. Sometimes, people mix it with onions that have been lightly cooked.
- The middle layer is made of corn. You can use whole corn kernels, creamed corn, or a mix of both.
- The top layer is fluffy mashed potatoes. People often add seasonings on top for extra flavor.
Some people like to change the order of the layers. They might put potatoes on the bottom, then meat, and then creamed corn. You can also add chopped bell peppers to the ground beef. Many enjoy eating Pâté chinois with pickled eggs or beets. After it's served, some people like to add ketchup on top.
Where Did Pâté chinois Come From?
No one is completely sure when Pâté chinois first appeared. Most people think it started around the 1930s. There are many ideas about how this dish got its name and became so popular.
Jean-Pierre Lemasson wrote a book about Pâté chinois. He doesn't agree with some of the common theories. He says that Chinese workers building the railway mostly ate rice and soybeans. This means the railway theory might not be true. Also, Pâté chinois only became common in Quebec in the 1930s. This makes the "South China" theory less likely too. For him, the true origin of Pâté chinois is still a mystery!
The Railway Story
One idea is that Pâté chinois started in the late 1800s. This was when the Canadian Pacific Railway was being built. Many workers were from Asia. They were often given simple, cheap foods like ground beef, potatoes, and corn. These workers might have mixed these ingredients together to make a new dish. It was named "Pâté chinois" to honor them. French Canadian railway workers then learned the recipe and brought it home.
The South China, Maine Story
Another idea is that the dish came from a town called South China, Maine in the United States. Many French Canadians moved there to find work during the Industrial Revolution. There was a local dish called "China pie." This pie became popular with the French Canadians. They might have translated its name to "Pâté chinois" and brought the recipe back to Canada.
The Pemmican Story
Some people think Pâté chinois might have come from pemmican. Pemmican was a food made by Indigenous peoples. It often contained meat and fat. One idea is that the old European "pie hash" recipes mixed with "pemmican" (corn and meat) from America. This mix then became the modern Pâté chinois.
The La Salle Expedition Story
A different idea links the name "Pâté chinois" to a failed trip. In 1669, a French explorer named René-Robert Cavelier de La Salle wanted to find a way to China. He set out from Montreal with a small group of men. But La Salle wasn't very good at exploring! He didn't speak the local languages and got sick. His trip ended quickly.
When his crew returned after only a few weeks, people wondered if "China" was much closer than they thought. They started calling the area where they left "China," which is now called Lachine. During their short trip, La Salle's men ate a lot of corn. Some believe that the name "Pâté chinois" was a joke. It might have been made up to tease La Salle about his failed trip to find China. The explorers were even jokingly called "the Chinese" because they had brought Chinese costumes for meeting Asian leaders.
The Échine Story
Finally, some think Pâté chinois came from an older dish called "pâté d'échine de porc." This dish was made with corn, pork loin, and turnip. It was common in New France long ago. Back then, potatoes weren't available, so turnips were used instead. Over time, the name "échine" might have changed to "Chine," and then to "Pâté chinois." The ingredients also changed, with potatoes replacing turnips and other meats being used.
See also
In Spanish: Paté chinois para niños
