Tuesday 17 November 2015

Tamale Pie

Comfort food at its best!  I have been craving homemade chili with cornbread, and I have been toying with the idea of making a Shepherd's Pie lately.  So, I was very thrilled when I stumbled across a recipe for Tamale Pie, which combined these ideas into one casserole.  Imagine a Chili/Tex Mex flavoured base with cornbread as the topping!  This recipe is also very easy to make vegetarian by adding in more beans and diced eggplant or zucchini.
 
The recipe I found started by sautéing a diced onion and green pepper followed by browning a pound of ground pork or beef (I used ground turkey).  The spices were chili powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper and allspice in a 4:2:1:1 ratio.   Play with the flavour to make it your spice level.  Then, add in black beans, corn, sliced olives, and diced tomatoes allowing all this to simmer for 15-20 minutes.  This gives you time to clean up and make the cornbread topping.  These recipes are around everywhere....just add in some grated cheese and minced jalepenos.   The meat mixture goes in a dish, then the cornbread batter gets spread on top.  Bake in the oven at 375 F for about 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.  
 
A recipe I found that is similar and looks like one that might even be better can be found on the link below...I might try this one next time...A simple google search for "Tamale Pie" will give you enough ideas to even create your own recipe! 
 
 
 
I can see myself making this for dinner once a month during the winter months.  It was simply delicious!   I loved the different textures and flavours from the sweet corn to spicy jalepenos...from tender veggies to coarser cornbread.    My brain is working around the idea on how to do this recipe with my Foods 9 classes in the new year as we are limited by time.  I am thinking that we can do it if we make the meat layer one class, refrigerate that, and make the topping and bake the casserole next time we meet a couple days later.  I just think I might have to ask the students to bring containers as I am not convinced there will be time to eat it as well as clean-up, but they have surprised me before!  Whatever the case, this meal will become part of our meal idea rotation at home not only this winter, but in many winters to come!
 
 
A piece of Tamale Pie!

The finished product

1 comment:

  1. I think I will try this over the Christmas break. It looks like something Dan would love - the boys aren't terribly keen on casseroles but they know they have to try everything I make. BTW, I made this today http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/buttermilk-banana-bread/ Always a good one - though I cut the sugar in half and this time added a bit of coconut.

    ReplyDelete