Tamale Pie
4 oz. bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
2 to 3 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups peeled fresh or canned tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped black olives
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Preheat oven to 375 F
Cook bacon in large skillet until fat is rendered, 3 to 4 minutes, pour off excess fat, leaving 1 to 2 Tbsp. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add olives, corn and sour cream and mix well. Transfer to a 15” x 11” baking dish or casserole. Set aside.
For tamale crust:
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
Salt, pepper
1 1/2 cups corn meal
6 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup milk
Bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan, season with salt and pepper, if desired. In a food processor, combine the cornmeal, butter, baking powder and milk. Process until combined. With the machine on, gradually pour in the hot stock until a smooth, thick batter is obtained. If batter is too thick to spread, add additional stock or water, a little at a time.
Pour the batter over the top of the beef mixture, spreading it evenly with a metal spatula. Bake until the top is just browned, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle the surface evenly with the shredded cheese and continue baking until melted and bubbling, 10 to 15 more minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 8.
Flan
3 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
8 extra large eggs or 10 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
For caramel:
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
In a saucepan, combine milk, cream, sugar and cinnamon stick. Scald over medium heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 30 minutes.
For the caramel, combine the sugar and water in a small, heavy saucepan over medium- high heat. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the syrup begins to color. Do not stir. When the syrup is a deep golden brown, dip the base of the pan in cold water to stop the cooking process. Quickly pour the caramel syrup into a 2 1/2 quart casserole or mold and tilt to coat the bottom evenly.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Reheat the milk mixture just to warm up. Remove the cinnamon stick. In a large bowl, combine the eggs and vanilla and mix together. Pour the milk mixture over the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Place the caramel coated mold in a large baking dish and add just enough hot water to come about 2” up the mold. Pour the egg mixture through a strainer into the mold. Cover with foil. Bake until custard is set, 50-60 minutes. Let cool in the water bath, then refrigerate at least 4 hours.
To unmold: run a knife around the the inside of the mold. Place an inverted plate on top and flip over to release the flan. Scrape any remaining caramel onto the flan. Serve cold.
Serves 8-10.
