Ingredients
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Chili Filling
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1 tablespoon extra-virgin Olive Oil
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1 pound ground Beef
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1 Onion
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1 green Bell Peppers
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1 tablespoon Chili Powder
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1 teaspoon ground Cumin
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1 can (15 ounces) unseasoned Tomato Sauce
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1 can (15 ounces) Kidney Beans
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Salt
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freshly ground Black Pepper
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Ground chile, such as Ancho Chiles
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¼ pound Monterey Jack Cheese
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Cornmeal Topping
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2 cups fresh or frozen Corn
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¾ cup Buttermilk
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¼ cup Canola Oil
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1 Egg
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1 cup yellow Cornmeal
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¾ cup unbleached all-purpose Flour
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3 tablespoons Sugar
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2 teaspoons Baking Powder
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1 teaspoon Salt
Directions
The original tamale pies were made with a ground meat filling and a topping of cornmeal mush. In this version, fragrant, cumin-scented chili and corn-rich cornbread combine in one skillet. The chili is fairly mild jazz it up with more chili powder or ground chiles if you prefer.
Steps
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1
Done
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Preheat the oven to 425˚F. |
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2
Done
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To prepare the chili filling, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the beef, onion, bell pepper, chili powder, and cumin in the oil until the meat is browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain off any liquid. |
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3
Done
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Add the tomato sauce and beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper and ground chile; add more |
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4
Done
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Spread the cheese over the chili. |
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5
Done
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To prepare the cornmeal topping, combine the corn, buttermilk, and oil in a blender and process until fairly smooth. Blend in the egg. |
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6
Done
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Mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Pour in the buttermilk mixture and stir just until moistened. The batter will be lumpy. Spread the batter over the chili mixture in the skillet. |
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7
Done
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Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the topping is golden and firm. (Batter made with frozen corn will take longer to bake than batter made with fresh corn.) |
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8
Done
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Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. |
