03/12/2003

Ingredients:

1 ½ tablespoons oil
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 medium jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
¾ pound 90 percent lean ground beef
¾ pound ground pork
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice, undrained
2 to 3 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 to 3 teaspoons adobo sauce
1 ½ inches cinnamon stick (or 11/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon)
1/8 teaspoon cloves
¼ cup raisins
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen corn, defrosted
¼ cup slivered almonds, roughly chopped (optional)
Cornmeal mush crust (recipe follows)
1 (8-ounce) can of chopped green chiles (optional)
¾ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and jalapeño and cook 2 minutes longer. Add ground meat and cook, breaking up clumps of meat, until browned, about 4 minutes (there should be no traces of pink remaining). Drain meat if necessary.

Add the tomatoes, chipotle chiles, adobo sauce, cinnamon, cloves, raisins and salt. Adjust heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more chipotle chile or adobo sauce for a spicier mixture. Stir in corn and optional chopped almonds. May be prepared to this point up to 2 days ahead of time and refrigerated.

Make cornmeal mush. Spread 1/4 cup of mush on the bottom of each of 6 buttered 16-ounce ovenproof bowls or individual casserole dishes (or spread half the mixture into a 3-quart buttered casserole). Cover the remaining mush so it doesn't dry out.

Spoon 1 cup of the meat filling into each baking dish (or all of meat filling into a large casserole dish). Sprinkle optional green chiles over meat filling, dividing evenly among each serving. Follow with a layer of grated cheese. Spread remaining cornmeal mush topping among each casserole to form the top crust (whisk in a little hot water to loosen it up if it has hardened). (Dish may be prepared to this point a day before serving. Allow top crust to set first, then cover with foil before refrigerating.)

Evans Caglage / DMN Tamale Pie and Salad With Buttermilk Ranch Dressing.

If pies were assembled ahead of time and refrigerated, remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

When ready to serve, preheat oven to 350 F. Bake on a cookie sheet or in a roasting pan until heated through and crust is set, about 25 minutes. If refrigerated, bake for about 30 minutes for individual pies, 40 minutes for a single casserole. Allow to sit for several minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Cornmeal mush crust: Bring 62/3 cups of water to a boil in a heavy-bottomed, large saucepan. Add 11/2 teaspoons salt and then slowly pour in 21/2 cups coarse yellow cornmeal (such as Goya brand, sold at Hispanic markets, or Bob's Red Mill Polenta/Corn Grits), whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Do not pour too much cornmeal at once, or lumps will form. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, whisking constantly, until the cornmeal begins to soften and the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and use immediately.

PER SERVING: Cal 742 (41% fat) Fat 35 g (12 g sat) Fiber 6 g Chol 100 mg Sodium 1,539 mg Carb 75 g Calcium 213 mg

SOURCES: Tina Danze / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News; American Classics