Black Bean Tamale Pie
Cornmeal Crust:
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cornmeal mixed with 1 cup cold water
Turn oven to 350 degrees farenheit. In a medium size sauce saucepan, pour 3 cups cold water and the salt and bring to a rapid boil. Mix together 1 cup cornmeal and 1 cup cold water and add gradually to the boiling water, beating continuously. Continue cooking over medium heat until mixture forms a thick paste. Remove from beat and spread evenly into a well-greased 9"Xll" baking pan or very large casserole dish.
Filling: <
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 very large onion peeled and chopped
4 cloves of garlic peeled and finely minced
Heat the olive oil in a very large skillet, add the onion and garlic and saute over medium high heat until the onion becomes translucent and/or limp. Then add:
4 cups black beans (or substitute pinto beans) cooked and drained**
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 Tablespoon chili powder
When well mixed, add the following, stirring well after each addition and continue to cook:
1 16-ounce can tomatoes
1 16-ounce can corn, creamed OR whole kernel
Remove from heat source and stir in:
1 16-ounce can black olives, drained
Evenly distribute the filling over the crust as prepared above. Spread evenly over the fillin
2 cups grated cheddarOR iack cheese OR a combination of both
Bake at 350 degrees farnaheit for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until filling is bubbling and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and serve hot with optional sour cream. A nice salad might be the only accompaniment needed for this dish. Serves approximately 6.
* If you wish this as a meat dish, use 1 to 1/2 pounds of lean ground beef or ground turkey (or chicken) instead of the beans, being sure to cook the meat until done before adding the tomatoes and corn
** Recipe included below for cookingthe beans.
1 pound of dry pinto beans OR dry black beans 1 large onion
1/2 bulb of garlic
1 Tablespoon cumin
Salt to taste
Soak overnight in water twice the height of the beans at least I pound of either dry pinto beans or dry black beans or you can do a combination of the two if you like. The next morning pour the water off the beans and rinse the beans in cold water.
Place the beans in a large pot like a dutch oven and add 3 times as much cold water as beans. Add the cumin, dry onion, and the garlic. You don't have to peel the onion and garlic, just make sure to take it out before you serve the beans. Bring to a rapid boil, then turn down to a low boil and cover the pot. Cook for about two hours, testing for doneness. When a bean mashed between your fingers mashes easily, the beans are done. You don't want the beans mushy so stop cooking when they are tender. Add salt to taste, 2 to 3 teaspoons and stir in while removing from the heat. If you add salt to beans during the cooking process, the skins come off the beans.