Tamale Pie

Tuesday dinners around here usually have a Mexican  flair to them.

Tacos with fixings is the usual go-to meal, but once in a while I try to branch out, and a few Mexican inspired recipes have accumulated here on the blog, See here. Recently my daughter asked if I could make Tamale Pie, a dish I was not familiar with. Initially I thought it actually involved making tamales which would be a challenge, but a quick web search put me at ease. In fact, it has nothing to do with tamales at all, which is good, because this is easy and relatively quick. It is basically a chili casserole with a cornmeal lid. You can make this as mild or as hot as you like. I kept it on the mild side for the kids, but if I was making this just for me, I would have added some red pepper flakes or some chili peppers, or even some Adobo sauce. The kids however, loved this casserole pie and encouraged me to make it more often. Now that I know how, I definitely will! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the filling:

1 lb ground beef

1 medium onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

1 small can corn kernels, drained

1  can (14.5 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)

For the topping:

1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal

3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 heaping teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper (optional)

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup milk or buttermilk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)

Preparation:

Make the filling: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until no longer pink. Add onions and garlic and continue cooking until beef is browned and onion has softened. Sprinkle with spices, salt and pepper and cook another minute or two. Add tomatoes, corn, beans and Worcestershire (if using). Let sauce simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Make the topping:

In a large bowl, mix together first 7 ingredients. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the butter, milk, and eggs. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Stir in the cheese.

Pour meat sauce into a 13x9 inch baking dish. Dollop the cornbread mixture over the filling and smooth into an even layer with the back of a spoon. Bake until filling is bubbling and the topping is golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream, chopped cilantro, guacamole etc.

Serves 6 well