Pork Lover's Tamale Pie
Melted cheddar cheese and a butter-honey cornmeal top ground pork, bacon and chorizo in a seasoned tomato sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 2 cups boiling water
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon corn oil or extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 1/3 pound Mexican chorizo (raw) or chopped Spanish chorizo (cured)
- 4 slices bacon, finely chopped
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander (about 1/2 palmful)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup beer
- 1 can diced tomatoes with chilies (14.5 ounces), drained
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Cilantro leaves and sliced scallions, for garnish
Preparation
In a medium size saucepan, heat the milk. Whisk in the cornmeal, then whisk in the boiling water and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until very thick, 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the butter and honey.
Pre-heat the broiler.
Meanwhile, in a large, ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the chorizo and bacon and render the fat for 3 minutes. Stir in the pork and cook, crumbling the meat, until browned, about 8 minutes. Season with the thyme, chili powder, coriander, salt and pepper. Add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes to soften. Stir in the beer to deglaze for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes to heat through.
Spoon the thick cornmeal over the pan and spread evenly. Top with the cheddar and brown under the broiler for 2 minutes. Serve from the skillet, garnished with the cilantro and scallions.
