Recipe of the Week
 
Lamb and black bean tamale pie
 
Courtesy of
Richard Blunt
 
 

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Ingredients

1-1/2 lb. ground lamb
1 tsp. olive oil
2 cups onion, diced medium
1 large red bell pepper, diced medium
3 garlic cloves, diced fine
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, diced fine
2-1/2 cups medium salsa
1/8 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. McCormick spicy Montreal steak seasoning
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1   29 oz. can Goya black beans, rinsed and drained
1-1/2 cups corn meal
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups skim milk
2 large fresh eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups (8 oz.) preshredded cheese
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

Method

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven and sauté the ground lamb until it loses its pink color and is broken up into pea-sized pieces. Remove lamb and set aside in large bowl.

Over medium heat, sauté onions and red bell pepper until just tender. Add garlic and jalapeño pepper and sauté for 1 minute.

Reduce heat and add salsa and spices. Simmer for 5 minutes and add meat and beans. Gently stir mixture and remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 375°.

In large bowl, combine corn meal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry blender, 2 knives, or your clean fingers, work unsalted butter into dry ingredients until it forms fine particles.

Gently blend milk with lightly-beaten eggs and 1 cup of shredded cheese. (Save the 2nd cup for later.)

Combine wet ingredients with dry and stir with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are just incorporated.

Coat baking dish with oil or shortening and spread corn bread dough evenly in dish.

Spread tamale mixture evenly over corn bread dough, sprinkle remaining cup of cheese and chopped cilantro on top.

Bake in middle of oven for 30 minutes or until a knife stuck into middle of dough comes out dry.

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