Tamale Pie

Even though it uses many ingredients that are also found in Mexican dishes, this is not from Mexican cuisine, but from American kitchens.

INGREDIENTS
½   cup cornmeal *
1 ½  cups water *
1    tablespoon olive oil
1    medium onion, chopped
1    small green bell pepper, seeded, diced
2    cloves garlic, minced
2    cups ground beef
1 ½ cups corn kernels
1    cup green or red salsa
1    can (7 ounces) sliced black olives
1    can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
1    can (7 ounces) tomato sauce
½   cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 325 F and grease the sides and bottom of a 3-4 quart covered casserole dish. In a medium bowl, combine the corn meal and water and set aside for at least 20 minutes. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and the chopped onions. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, and add the bell pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes and add the garlic and ground beef. Cook, stirring and breaking up lumps of ground beef, for 5 to 6 minutes until the beef is all browned.

Cook for 2 minutes, lower the heat to low and add the corn, salsa, olives, tomatoes and tomato sauce, mixing each ingredient as you add it. Add the pre-soaked corn meal with any residual water and mix thoroughly. Pour the pie into the casserole dish, cover and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cooked through and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the oven, sprinkle the cheese over the top and bring to the table.

*NOTE: This recipe will serve at least six people, but if you have a large enough baking dish (5 to 6 quarts) and want to stretch the recipe to serve 8 to 10, just increase the corn meal to ¾  cups and the water to 2 ¼ cups or even further with 1 cup of corn meal and 3 cups of water. The cooking time may also increase until all the liquid is absorbed.