Tamale Pie

Ingredients:

-Chili Filling

1 teaspoon kosher salt (divided)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (divided)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pound ground beef

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 jalapeno peppers, minced (seeds and ribs removed)

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried cilantro

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/4 cup unsulfured molasses

Juice of 2 limes

2 cups fresh corn kernels

1 can (14 ounces) kidney beans, drained

-Creamy Cornmeal Crust:

5 cups chicken broth

2 1/4 cups cornmeal

1/4 cup whole milk

1 1/2 cups sour cream (divided)

1 large egg, beaten

4 scallions, chopped (divided)

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and cayenne pepper in a large skillet. Heat the pan, add the ground beef, and cook, breaking apart the beef, until almost done. Drain the grease and transfer to a medium bowl. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel to remove excess grease.

Add the olive oil, garlic, onion, jalapenos, and celery to the skillet. Cook over medium heat until the garlic is lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, cilantro, vinegar, molasses, and remaining sale and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the lime juice, corn and kidney beans and remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.

To make the crust, heat the chicken broth in a large saucepan. Whisk in the cornmeal, a little at a time, until smooth. Remove from heat and add the milk, 3/4 cup sour cream, egg, half the scallions and pepper.

Spread a layer of cornmeal mixture (use a little more than half) over the bottom of the baking dish. It should come part of the way up the sides. Add the meat mixture. Top with remaining cornmeal mixture. Sprinkle cheese over top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly and light golden on top. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes. Spoon onto plates with a dollop of the remaining sour cream and sprinkle with the remaining scallions.