Recipe: Vegetable Tamale Pie
1 pound tomatillos (about 12), husks removed, washed
Vegetable oil spray
½ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
¼ cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon sugar
2 poblano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped medium
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped medium
1 onion, minced (about 1 cup)
Salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, seeded, and chopped medium
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 4 ounces)
Black pepper
4 ounces 50 percent light cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
Cornbread topping
¾ cup (3¾ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup (3¾ ounces) yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons sugar
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Position an oven rack 6 inches from the heating element and heat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Arrange the tomatillos on the prepared baking sheet and lightly coat with vegetable oil spray. Broil until the tomatillos blacken and begin to soften, 5-10 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through.
Remove the tomatillos from the oven and let cool slightly. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees.
Process the broiled tomatillos, cilantro, broth, 4 teaspoons of the oil, and sugar together in a food processor until almost smooth, 30-60 seconds; set aside.
Combine the remaining 2 teaspoons oil, poblanos, bell pepper, onion and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large Dutch oven. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the vegetables are softened, 8-10 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to medium-high, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned, 4-6 minutes longer.
Stir in the garlic, cumin and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatillo sauce, beans, zucchini and corn. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Transfer the mixture to a 9inch deep-dish pie plate. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top.
For the topping: Whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg together. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture until uniform, then stir in the melted butter until just combined. Dollop the cornbread topping evenly over the filling, then spread it into an even layer, covering the filling completely.
Bake until the topping is golden and set, 15-20 minutes. Let the pie cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Serves six.
Cook's notes: Purchase tomatillos with dry outer husks, bright green skin, and a fresh, fruity smell. We prefer to make our own cornbread topping, but you can substitute 1 (6.5- to 8.5ounce) package of your favorite cornbread mix if desired; follow the package instructions to make the cornbread batter, then dollop the batter over the filling and bake as directed. Don't try this recipe with a standard pie plate; substitute a 2quart casserole dish if you don't have a deep-dish pie plate.
@Recipe nutrition:Nutrition values per serving: 390 calories, 13 g fat (4.5 g saturated), 57 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 15 g protein, 50 mg cholesterol, 510 mg sodium.
“Light & Healthy 2011” by America's Test Kitchen (2010 ATK)