Betty's Tamale Pie

Betty's popular Tamale Pie (as printed in the Holladay Herald and modified by me (David Westwood)

Brown 1-1.5 lbs ground meat with 1/2 cup finely chopped onion & 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic salt / powder (or small quantity fresh minced garlic) and salt to taste. . .

Add and simmer: 1 15 oz. can Mexican Style stewed tomatoes, 1/4 to 1/2 cup salsa, 1-2 tsp chili powder, 1/2-1 tsp oregano, pinch of cumin / fresh cilantro. Sliced olives (optional)

On stove top at low heat in sauce pan or in microwave in 2 qt glass bowl cook : 3/4 cup cornmeal & 3/4 cup hominy grits in 6 cups broth (recipe says chicken, but beef or vegetable work as well imho) and 1.5 teaspoon salt (optional) stirring frequently. Cook until mush is soft and loses raw taste (Betty/Mom sometimes added 1 small can drained corn).

Line greased 9x13" casserole dish (or 12" diameter round glass baking/casserole dish / 2 8.5/9" diameter found glass baking bowls.) with cooked cornmeal/grits pour in meat mixture and top with remaining cornmeal/gits mixture. Sprinkle generously with grated cheese.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F.

May be cooled and reheated (some say that improves the flavor) also freezes nicely.

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Variation given to Vilo & me by Betty shortly after our marriage.

Ingredients:

1 C. Yellow cornmeal

2/3 C. Hominy grits

~1/2 tsp salt

~5 C. Water

1 can corn (optional)

1 to 1.5 lb Lean ground meat (turkey) -- use faux ground meat or mixed chili beans if you are serving it to vegetarians.

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 can (~15 oz.) Mexican style diced or stewed tomatoes

1 small can chopped olives (optional)

1 can / 2 cups of cooked chili beans - black, red, pinto or mixed (optional)

1 small can chili peppers (optional)

Salsa to taste

chili powder to taste

cumin / cilantro to taste

1-2 cups grated jack, pepper jack or sharp cheddar cheese (or a mixture of cheeses including queso fresco if available)

Directions/Procedure:

Combine cornmeal & grits in salted water in a 2 quart sauce pan or 2 qt covered glass bowl cook on stove top stirring frequently or in microwave oven for 5 minute intervals, stirring between intervals. Continue until polenta mixture is thick.

-Note one may add some cheese, corn or olives to the polenta mixture once it has thickened.

Pour a layer of cooked polenta into the bottom of a glass casserole. Reserve some polenta for topping

Heat a large skillet and brown meat (or TVP) with onions. Season with salsa, chili powder, cumin/cilantro (& lime juice -DW) as desired / to taste. When meat has browned add the diced/stewed tomatoes with a little liquid and combine thoroughly. Add drained corn, beans and peppers if desired.

When meat mixture has thickened pour evenly over the layer of polenta (cornmeal/grits) in casserole. Put remaining / reserved polenta on top of meat mixture and cover with grated cheese.

Cook between 350 and 425 degrees F. until cheese bubbles.

The dish may be made a day in advance and refrigerated until warming before serving. May also be frozen for up to two weeks.

Betty's French Bread recipe

to: 2 cups WARM water (hotter than a baby bottle)
add: 1 1/2 tsp sugar 1 1/2 tsp oil 1 scant Tbs yeast

Let yeast dissolve 5 minutes or more. Add salt to two cups flour and stir into yeast mixture. Add more flour (as much as 5 cups total), stirring vigorously for 5 minutes. The dough will be too sticky to knead. This results in larger air holes and a wonderful chewy texture. (Betty used white unbleached flour. Stephen Westwood has used half whole wheat and even all whole wheat successfully.)

Let dough rise in covered bowl for 12-24 hours. Shape into two long narrow loaves on heavily floured board. Place on greased cookie sheet. For a "quick" 2nd rise, warm the oven to 150 degrees F . . . turn off . . . put cloth covered loaves into oven for 1 hour (or until double in size). Remove from oven. (For "regular 2nd rise, place covered read in warm place for another 12 hours.)

Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Bake bread 15 minutes, remove, brush tops of loaves with a glaze of 1 egg and 1 Tbs water and continue baking another 15 minutes. When done, bread will sound hollow when bottom is thumped.

This bread was frequently available at Betty's (often disappearing quickly if there were any visitors!)