Tamale Pie

By fuzzygroup

Ingredients

• Filling:
• 1 T vegetable oil
• 1/2 lb 90% lean ground beef
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 T chili powder
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1 T minced fresh oregano
• ground black pepper
• 2 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 1/2 cup)
• Crust:
• 4 cups water
• 3/4 tsp table salt
• 1 1/2 cups coarse cornmeal

Preparation

Step 1

Filling:
1. Butter 10" deep-dish pie plate (or similar casserole dish with 3-quart capacity) and set aside. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 375.

2. Heat oil in large skillet over high heat until shimmering, about 1 min. Add ground beef and pork and cook, breaking up large clumps of meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink and beginning to brown, about 4 mins. Add onion and jalapeno and cook until just softened, about 3 mins. Add garlic, cayenne, chili powder, and salt and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes with juice, black beans and corn and simmer until most of liquid has evaporated, about 3 mins. Remove pan from eat and stir in oregano and season with pepper to taste. Set aside.

Crust:
Note: To prevent lumps from forming in cornmeal, be sure to whisk the cornmeal vigorously in step 3 when adding it to the boil water. To maintain the cornmeal mush at a spreadable consistency, keep it covered while assembling the pie in step 4. If the mush does grow too dry while sitting, loosen its texture by whisking in a little hot water.

3. Bring water to boil in heavy-bottomed, large saucepan over high heat. Add salt, then slowly pour in cornmeal while whisking vigorously. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, whisking constantly, until cornmeal begins to soften and misture thickens, about 3 mins. Remove pan from heat.

Assemble and bake:
4. Spread two-thirds of cornmeal mixture (about 2 1/2 cups) over bottom and up sides of buttered pie plate. Spoon beef mixture evenly into dish and sprinkle with cheese. Spread remaining cornmeal misture evenly on top of cheese, spreading it out to edges of pie plate to seal in filling.