Tamale Pie Stuffed Peppers

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons cornmeal
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon boiling water
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 pound sausage meat
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/8 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 1/2 teaspoons seeded and minced hot green peppers
• 1 large tomato, peeled and chopped
• 1 ear fresh corn
• 4 green bell peppers
• 5 pitted black olives
• 1/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/3 cup grated mild Cheddar cheese
• Salt

Instructions

1. Gradually stir cornmeal into cold water in a small bowl. Stir this mixture into boiling water in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring constantly, to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low.
2. Stir in butter. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 35 minutes.
3. Remove from heat.
4. While cornmeal is cooking, sauté sausage meat in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, breaking up the lumps with a fork, until it begins to lose its pink color.
5. Add onion and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder and cumin.
6. Add ground beef and continue to cook, breaking up lumps with a fork, until beef loses its color, about 5 minutes.
7. Add hot pepper sauce, celery and hot green pepper. Cook 5 minutes.
8. Stir in tomato; cook 5 minutes longer.
9. With a sharp knife, cut corn kernels off cob, slicing about halfway through kernels. Using back of knife, scrape cob to remove remaining kernel bits and milky residue. Add corn to tomato/meat mixture. Cook 10 minutes longer.
10. Add salt to taste; remove from heat.
11. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
12. Cook peppers in boiling salted water for 2 minutes.
13. Trim off tops with sharp knife. Core and remove seeds.
14. Fill each pepper with meat mixture, packing it down firmly with back of spoon. Leave about 1/2 inch of space at top of pepper.
15. Cover top of each pepper with olive slices.
16. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese.
17. Spread a thin layer of cornmeal mixture over top, using 2 teaspoons per pepper.
18. Place peppers in baking dish.
19. Bake for 50 minutes; let stand 5 minutes before serving.