The Inspired Cook

Submitted by Canton1 on

Loafing around my kitchen a while back, I created a dish inspired by a recipe from my favorite church cookbook and a now-yellowed, handwritten recipe card, which has to be more than 30 years old. I don’t remember where I obtained the recipe—probably some magazine I read at a doctor’s office from which I scribbled it down onto the back of a banking deposit slip or some other scrap piece of paper I had in my purse at the time.

I have several boxes of handwritten recipes along with actual pages torn from magazines spanning more than 40 years, not to mention a large collection of cooking magazines and cookbooks. Can you relate?

Hot Tamale Loaf

 

Ingredients:

  •                 1/2 lb. Ground beef, 93-7 blend
  •                 1/2 c. Yellow onion, diced
  •                 1/2 (14.5-oz.) can Petite-diced tomatoes, no-salt type
  •                 1 T. Chili powder
  •                 3/4 c. Yellow cornmeal
  •                 1/2 t. each Garlic powder and cumin
  •                 1/4 t. and 1/2 t. Finely ground sea salt, divided
  •                 1/4 t. each Black pepper and ground coriander
  •                 3/4 c. Shredded Fiesta blend cheese
  •                 2 sliced Green onions, white and green parts
  •                 1 (10-oz.) can Red enchilada sauce, heat of your choice (I used mild.)

Directions:

                Into a small bowl, place all dry seasonings except salt. In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, brown meat. Add onions, tomatoes, one-fourth teaspoon of salt, and other dry seasonings. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to Low and simmer covered for about an hour, stirring occasionally.

                After meat mixture has simmered for 30 minutes, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and begin preparing cornmeal mush. Place one and a half cups of water into a saucepan, preferably a nonstick one, over High heat. Into three-fourths of a cup of cold water, place one-half teaspoon of salt and cornmeal; stir. Add cornmeal mixture into water as it is heating to a boil, stirring constantly. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to Low, and simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes or until it thickens, stirring frequently. If you feel as if mush has thickened too much, add in a couple of tablespoons of water; stir. Repeat if necessary.

                When mush is thick, mix meat mixture into it, stirring well to combine. Place into prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes or until brown and center is done when tested with a knife. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow loaf to rest for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter.

                While loaf is cooling, place enchilada sauce into a small saucepan and heat. Do not boil. Reduce heat to Low and simmer until loaf is ready to serve.

                Once loaf is plated, sprinkle it with cheese and sliced onions. If your platter is oven-proof, return it to oven for about 4-5 minutes to melt the cheese. Place sauce in a gravy boat or bowl. Pour or ladle sauce over each slice of tamale loaf and serve.

Yield: 4-6 servings