Tamale Pie

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             FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Anna Welander for this dieting tip:

A great way to lose weight is to eat while you are naked and in front of
a mirror. Restaurants will almost always throw you out before you can eat too much.

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             TODAY'S RECIPE
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According to "The Dictionary of American Food and Drink," tamale pie
made its first appearance around 1911, when American cooks were
encouraged to use less meat in order to help the war effort, and
accordingly the first recipes were meatless. Since then meat has been
added, and it is now a true All-American classic. Unlike many modern
versions, this vintage recipe places the cornmeal dough on the bottom of the pie as well as on the top.

Tamale Pie

For the crust:
4 cups (1 L) water
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) cornmeal
2 Tbs (30 ml) butter

Bring the water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the cornmeal
gradually, whisking constantly. Continue whisking until the mixture is
thick and smooth. Spoon 3/4 of the mixture into a greased 3-quart (3 L)
casserole and press it into the bottom and up the sides of the
casserole. Cover the remaining cornmeal mush and set aside.

For the filling:
2 Tbs (30 ml) butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 lbs (750 g) lean ground beef
4 tsp (20 ml) chili powder
1 tsp (5 ml) dried oregano
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground cumin
1 cup (250 ml) canned or fresh tomatoes, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat. Cook the
onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and cook until the onions are soft but
not brown. Add the beef, chili powder, oregano, and cumin, and stir,
breaking up the big chunks of meat, until the beef is browned. Add the
remaining ingredients and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Spoon the meat
mixture into the cornmeal crust and top with the remaining cornmeal
mush. Bake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top crust is browned.
Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Tue Feb 17 18:07:11 2009