Tamale Pie

Tamale Pie Stuffed Peppers

Tamale Pie Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons cornmeal
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon boiling water
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 pound sausage meat
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/8 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 1/2 teaspoon seeded and minced hot green peppers
• 1 large tomato, peeled and chopped
• 1 ear fresh corn
• 4 green bell peppers
• 5 pitted black olives
• 1/4 cup grated Monterey jack cheese
• 1/3 cup grated mild Cheddar Cheese
• salt

Method

1. Gradually stir cornmeal into cold water in a small bowl.
2. Stir this mixture into boiling water in a small saucepan.
3. Heat, stirring constantly, to boiling; reduce heat to medium- low.
4. Stir in butter.
5. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 35 minutes.
6. Remove from heat.
7. While cornmeal is cooking, saute sausage meat in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, breaking up the lumps with a fork, until it begins to lose its pink color.
8. Add onion and garlic; cook 5 minutes.
9. Stir in chili powder and cumin.
10. Add ground beef and continue to cook, breaking up lumps with a fork, until beef loses its color, about 5 minutes.
11. Add hot pepper sauce, celery and hot green pepper.
12. Cook 5 minutes.
13. Stir in tomato; cook 5 minutes longer.
14. With a sharp knife, cut corn kernels off cob, slicing about halfway through kernels.
15. Using back of knife, scrape cob to remove remaining kernel bits and milky residue.
16. Add corn to tomato/meat mixture.
17. Cook 10 minutes longer.
18. Add salt to taste; remove from heat.
19. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
20. Cook peppers in boiling salted water for 2 minutes.
21. Trim off tops with sharp knife.
22. Core and remove seeds.
23. Fill each pepper with meat mixture, packing it down firmly with back of spoon.
24. Leave about 1/2-inch of space at top of pepper.
25. Cover top of each pepper with olive slices.
26. Sprinkle with Monterey jack and Cheddar cheese.
27. Spread a thin layer of cornmeal mixture over top, using 2 teaspoons per pepper.
28. Place peppers in baking dish.
29. Bake 50 minutes; let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 2 to 4.