No Bean Gluten-Free Tamale Pie

Tamale pie is a family favorite, but tailored to special diets like mine: I have been gluten-intolerant for 15 years and recently, I have to cut down on beans too. It's quick and easy to make, with ingredients you probably already have on hand. 

I like to use lean ground beef to cut down on grease and waste. Since the leaner cuts have less fat, you may have to add a tiny bit of oil to keep the meat from sticking to the pan during frying.

If you prefer less spicy, leave out the chopped green chilis.

INGREDIENTS

Meat Filling:

½ onion, purple or white, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp cooking oil

1 lb lean ground beef

1 14.5-oz can tomato sauce

1 8-oz can whole kernel corn, drained

1 small (4.25-oz) can chopped or sliced black olives, drained

1 small (8-oz) can chopped green chilis

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 tsp onion salt

2 tbsp chili powder

½ tsp ground cumin

Cornmeal Topping:

¾ cup cornmeal

1 tbsp gluten-free flour of your choice (Bob’s Red Mill has a variety of baking flours)

1 tbsp sugar

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

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1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1 tbsp vegetable oil

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Shredded cheese, Monterey or cheddar, about ½ cup, optional. Add between meat layer and cornmeal topping layer before baking. 

INSTRUCTIONS

In a heavy bottom Dutch oven or other cooking pot, add the cooking oil and then stir the chopped onions until almost transparent. Remove the onions to another bowl and set aside. Add the ground beef and a few drops of oil if needed to keep beef from sticking. When the ground beef is nearly all browned, add back the onions to the pan, and stir well. Season with salt, pepper, onion salt, the cumin, and the chili powder.

Pour the can of tomato sauce into the meat mixture, then the olives and HALF of the green chiles (set aside the rest of the chilis for later). Stir well and continue to cook on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through and the flavors combine.  Turn off heat and let rest while preparing the cornmeal mixture.

Cornmeal Mixture:

In a medium to large mixing bowl, add the cornmeal, the gluten-free flour, sugar, and baking powder. Whisk to combine well and mix out any lumps.

In a separate bowl, mix the egg, milk, and cooking oil, and the rest of the green chiles, then pour into the cornmeal mixture.

Next, spread the meat mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 Pyrex(c) baking pan, scatter the shredded cheese over the top of the meat, then drop the cornmeal-chili mixture using a small measuring cup (I use the 1/3 cup size) over the meat mixture, making sure cornmeal covers most of the meat mixture. Sprinkle lightly with red chili powder if desired.

Bake in a 425 oven for 20-25 minutes. Allow to rest in oven with heat off for 10-15 minutes as mixture will be too wet at first, until the liquid is absorbed into the cornbread topping.