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Tamale Pie


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"I have lost my recipe for tamale pie. Please give me a good one," writes
Eloise Tomikel of Hiawassee to the Food Goddess, a column of the AJC.

When it comes to judging tamale pie recipes, the goddess feels a little like Goldilocks. After much sampling to find one that is "just right, " she realized that some versions had a little too much of this or that, while others didn't have quite enough. She wanted a meatiness that could stand up to the corn bread topping, but more importantly, she wanted some spice in addition to the requisite corn, tomato and bean mixture.
Luckily, after several attempts, she eventually found a dish she thought worthy enough to share.

You can assemble this in advance and refrigerate it for up to 2 days or freeze it for up to 1 month.

Hands on time: 25 minutes  Total time: 1 hour and 30 minutes  Serves: 8

Ingredients:

    1 tablespoon vegetable oil

    1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

    1 onion, finely chopped

    1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, minced

    2 tablespoons chili powder

    4 garlic cloves, minced

    1 tablespoon tomato paste

    1 teaspoon dried oregano

    1 teaspoon ground cumin

    1 teaspoon salt

    1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

    1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

    1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

    1 1/2 cups frozen corn (do not thaw)

    8 ounces Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

    2 (6 1/2- to 8 1/2-ounce) boxes corn bread mix

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. Add the beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking up any lumps. Add the onion and jalapeno and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chili powder, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, cumin, salt and cayenne pepper and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the diced tomatoes and their juice, stirring well to combine. Remove from heat and add the black beans, corn and cheese. Stir well to combine.
Prepare corn bread batter according to package directions.
Transfer the beef mixture to a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Spread the corn bread topping evenly over the filling. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until casserole is bubbly and crust is golden. -- Adapted from a recipe in "The Best Make-ahead Recipes" from the Editors of Cook's Illustrated (America's Test Kitchen, $35).

Nutrition:

Per serving: 663 calories (percent of calories from fat, 48), 31 grams protein, 56 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams fiber, 36 grams fat (15 grams saturated), 95 milligrams cholesterol, 1,168 milligrams sodium.

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