Pork and Poblano Tamale Pie
From Bon Appetit magazine. Sort of a chile verde/cornbread casserole, that manages to transcend both. I know the recipe is a bit fussy and time-consuming, but the dish is a winner. And some corners can be cut (like using ground spices instead of toasting and grinding your own) without compromising much flavor.
From Bon Appetit magazine. Sort of a chile verde/cornbread casserole, that manages to transcend both. I know the recipe is a bit fussy and time-consuming, but the dish is a winner. And some corners can be cut (like using ground spices instead of toasting and grinding your own) without compromising much flavor.
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- sour cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- coarse kosher salt
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 cups white onions chopped
- pie filling
- 12 oz fresh poblano chiles (about 4 large)
- 1 large green bell pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 10 oz package frozen corn kernels thawed
- 2 tbs vegetable or olive oil divided
- 1 1/2 lbs trimmed boneless country-style pork ribs cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 tbs jalapeno chiles seeded and minced
- 1 tbs dried oregano
- 1 cup low-salt chicken broth
- 1 cup purchased salsa verde (tomatillo salsa)
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
- cornbread topping
- 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 3/4 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbs honey
- 1 1/4 cups coarsely grated cheddar cheese divided
- Carbohydrate 55.6169277312158 g
- Cholesterol 171.401433331203 mg
- Fat 28.1309388843112 g
- Fiber 5.17207527680038 g
- Protein 38.3286840804358 g
- Saturated Fat 14.2964981320214 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (497g)
- Sodium 1525.70973496676 mg
- Sugar 50.4448524544154 g
- Trans Fat 2.23297554554361 g
- Calories 623 calories
Step-by-step
- Char poblano chiles and bell pepper directly over flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Transfer chiles and bell pepper to large bowl; cover and let steam 10 minutes. Peel, seed, and coarsely chop chiles and bell pepper.
- Stir cumin seeds and coriander seeds in small dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and slightly darker in color, about 3 minutes. Remove seeds from heat and cool completely. Finely grind toasted seeds in spice mill or in mortar with pestle. Transfer to small bowl and set aside.
- Coarsely puree thawed corn kernels in processor. Cover and refrigerate corn puree until ready to use.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with coarse salt and pepper. Working in batches, add pork to pot and sauté until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to medium bowl. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pot, then add chopped onions and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add ground spice mixture, garlic, jalapeño, and oregano; stir 1 minute. Return pork and any accumulated juices to pot. Add chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits. Add salsa verde and bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover partially and simmer 30 minutes. Add chopped chiles, chopped bell pepper, and half of corn puree to pork mixture; cover partially and simmer until pork is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour 15 minutes longer. Season pie filling to taste with coarse salt and pepper.
- Transfer pie filling to 10-inch-diameter 2 1/2-inch-deep ovenproof skillet (preferably cast-iron). Stir in chopped cilantro.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk flour, yellow cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and chili powder in large bowl to blend. Whisk remaining corn puree, whole milk, melted butter, egg, and honey in medium bowl to blend. Add corn puree mixture to flour mixture and stir just until blended. Stir in 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup cheddar cheese over pie filling in skillet. Drop cornbread batter by large spoonfuls atop pie filling. Spread cornbread batter evenly to cover pie filling completely.
- Bake tamale pie until cornbread topping is deep golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve tamale pie hot, passing sour cream alongside.
Fresh poblano chiles do the heavy lifting here, providing a smoky, earthy baseline that canned alternatives simply cannot replicate. Charring them directly over a gas flame or beneath a high broiler breaks down the outer skin while infusing the flesh with charred aromatics. Steaming the blistered peppers in a covered bowl for ten minutes loosens that skin, making the subsequent peeling step straightforward without tearing the tender walls.
Modifying this casserole for different dietary requirements is entirely manageable without losing structural integrity. Swap the all-purpose flour for a measure-for-measure gluten-free baking blend containing xanthan gum to keep the cornbread topping from turning crumbly. Dairy-free milk combined with one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar can replace the whole milk, while plant-based butter and your favorite melting vegan cheese stand in for the dairy components. The corn puree folded directly into the batter guarantees moisture, which helps compensate for the lack of animal fats in plant-based substitutions.
A ten-inch cast-iron skillet functions as the ideal vessel, retaining heat evenly and creating a crisp exterior crust on the cornbread. Bake the casserole at 400°F until a wooden skewer inserted into the center emerges clean, which typically takes between 30 and 40 minutes. Pair individual portions with crisp, acidic radishes or a sharp lime-dressed cabbage slaw to cut through the rich, savory weight of the pork filling.
Adapting for Dietary Needs
Modifying this casserole for different dietary requirements is entirely manageable without losing structural integrity. Swap the all-purpose flour for a measure-for-measure gluten-free baking blend containing xanthan gum to keep the cornbread topping from turning crumbly. Dairy-free milk combined with one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar can replace the whole milk, while plant-based butter and your favorite melting vegan cheese stand in for the dairy components. The corn puree folded directly into the batter guarantees moisture, which helps compensate for the lack of animal fats in plant-based substitutions.
Equipment and Serving Strategy
A ten-inch cast-iron skillet functions as the ideal vessel, retaining heat evenly and creating a crisp exterior crust on the cornbread. Bake the casserole at 400°F until a wooden skewer inserted into the center emerges clean, which typically takes between 30 and 40 minutes. Pair individual portions with crisp, acidic radishes or a sharp lime-dressed cabbage slaw to cut through the rich, savory weight of the pork filling.
