Mexican Recipes
Cacerola de Tamales (Tamale Casserole)
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/4 pound ground pork
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 cups canned tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped ripe olives
- 2 tablespoons or more chopped green chile (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 3/4 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons cornmeal
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Fry ground beef and pork in a medium size skillet at medium heat until beef is browned.
- Add onion and garlic to meat mixture and cook until onion is tender. Drain.
- Add tomatoes, olives, green chile, salt, and pepper to mixture and cook for approximately 20 minutes. (Water may be added to the mixture if a thinner consistency is desired.)
- Add 1/4 cup of cheese and 2 tablespoons of cornmeal to mixture, cook for 2 to 3 minutes, and set mixture aside.
- Place remaining cornmeal and water in a medium-size saucepan. Cook cornmeal mixture, stirring occasionally, until cornmeal is thick.
- Spread half of cornmeal mixture in bottom of a greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Place meat mixture over top of cornmeal and spread remaining half of cornmeal over top of filling. Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.