Going Retro with Tamale Pie

 

You know those days you think you know everything? You read a cool article online or you learned a new tip on a food blog, then you feel like such a hipster because you are WAY ahead of the curve. Well, after discovering this recipe, I felt the opposite of that. I found this recipe in an old set of cookbooks that my grandma received as a sort of rewards program from a grocery store (move over scanned bonus cards and ambiguous "points," I want a set of awesome cookbooks!) While flipping through the pages, I found out these cookbooks, published in 1968, contained some recipes I that I thought were novel 21st century ideas. I found recipes for avocado ice cream, gloriously delectable cakes and probably about a hundred creative cookies. There was even a detailed section on nutrition that advised people to eat small meals throughout the day (and I thought that was a new revolution in the dietary world...). I decided that instead of striving for hipster and new, I'm going to indulge and retro and classic. There is certainly something to be said for age-old wisdom and technique. Instead of wasting time looking for the newest fad, I think I'll spend a little time with some good old cookbooks and discover deliciousness that is time-tested.

 



 This tamale pie was part of the American Cooking section of the Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery. It was listed under the New Mexico section and instantly attracted me. I had been wanting to try a recipe I saw online where a mason jar was filled with fresh chili, topped with cornbread batter and baked until golden. When I saw that this recipe contained two layers of cornmeal crust filled with a Mexican-spiced tomato and meat center, I was intrigued. Without the fancy mason jars, this recipe was a simplified version of the recipe I had hoped to try (written about 45 years ago).

 

The recipe was absolutely delicious. It took a bit of time (about an hour and a half total, 45 min. prep and 45 min. baking), but the bubbling filling peaking out from the golden crust was a welcome sight after pulling it from the oven. With a little added Mexican spice, the filling adopted a tangy, tomato-y Tex Mex flavor. The top crust remained crisp and buttery while the bottom crust, soaked beneath the filling was moist and gooey (a perfect texture combination).

 

 

Tamale Pie

Adapted from Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery

 

- 1 onion, chopped

- 1 garlic clove, minced

- 1 green pepper, chopped

- 2 Tbs. olive oil

- 1 lb. ground chicken (the original recipe called for beef)

- 3 1/2 cups (one 1-lb 12 oz. can) tomatoes

- 1 dozen ripe olives, pitted and sliced

- 1 tsp. ground coriander

- 1-2 Tbs. chili powder

- Mexican seasoning, to taste

- 1 cup yellow cornmeal

- 1 cup cold water

- 1 quart seasoned chicken broth, hot

- butter\

 

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Saute onions until transparent and glossy. Add peppers and cook until tender. Saute garlic with peppers and onions for 30 seconds to a minute. Add chicken and allow to cook through. Add tomatoes, salt, seasonings and olive oil and allow to cook for 20 minutes on low.

 

While the filling is cooking, mix cornmeal and water in the top of a double boiler. Add hot broth and cook over double boiler. Allow to thicken. ( I followed the instructions for "cornmeal mush" on my polenta bag and mixed the cornmeal and cold water. Then, I added 2 cups of boiling broth and cooked it over medium low heat until thick. I thought this method seemed easier) Line an oiled 2-quart casserole with half of the cornmeal mixture. Add meat mixture and top with remaining cornmeal mixture. Let cool slightly and dot with butter. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Serves 6.



 

Coconut Nut

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I’m a coconut nut! Whether it’s sweet or savory, I love the tropical, fresh flavor of creamy coconut mixed into a multitude of dishes. Last year, I was even lucky enough to taste freshly cracked coconut at a smoothie stand on St. Maarten (heavenly!) Anything from the unique, chewy texture of raw, shredded coconut, to the creamy smoothness of coconut milk to the crisp crunch of toasted coconut makes my taste buds go crazy.

Though I’m not too picky about my coconut, I have to admit that my favorite coconut dish happens to be a salad at my favorite restaurant. Yes, I did say “salad,” but no, it’s certainly not health food. Though it starts with a wholesome base of greens, strawberries, and slivered almonds, it’s topped with its crispy, amazing crown jewel, the coconut breaded chicken. I love this chicken so much that I will eat all the healthy ingredients first just so I am left with the fantastic chicken, just me and it, to savor and love.  It has a crispy, tangy outside with soft, tender chicken on the inside. If you haven’t figured it out by now, I LOVE it.

Unfortunately, the fried exterior isn’t exactly the most nutritious option, so I can’t indulge myself too often. Instead, I tried to create a slightly healthier version with smaller, baked coconut breaded chicken tenders. They still incorporate the creamy, chewy coconut flavor and texture without the greasy, fried crust. Though the coconut doesn’t crisp up as much with just the oven heat, the mild flavor of the tropical fruit is truly showcased alongside the unseasoned chicken.  My dad said they needed a little bit of sauce, and I have to say, for someone who doesn’t love coconut as much as I do, I can understand the need for a little extra flavor. Some recipes for coconut chicken that I found recommended orange or honey sauces on the side. I can't say that the recipe can truly compete with the amazing coconut chicken salad at Chocolate Avenue Grill, but as a healthy subsitute, it's not too bad.

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To go with the chicken, I wanted to stick to bright, fruity flavors. I chose to make some steamed, orange rice topped with orange zest and toasted coconut.  The rice was slightly sweet with fresh squeezed orange juice flavor. The texture of the wild rice mixed perfectly with the crunch of the toasted coconut. I used my mom's method of placing a bowl with the rice and cooking liquid inside of a ceramic cooker with a lid. The  cooker is then filled with water about 2 inches up the side. The lid is then placed on the cooker on a hot stove where the water can boil and steam the rice in the bowl.

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Baked Coconut Chicken

adapted from Spark Recipes

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 Cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 egg and 1 egg white, beaten together
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the panko and coconut in a small bowl.
2. On a clean and separate surface, cut chicken into thin strips.
3. Dip and coat the chicken individually in the egg mixture. Then, immediately dredge in the coconut and panko mixture. Coat to desired thickness. Place each piece on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for roughly 25 minutes. Cooking time varies with ovens and tender sizes, so bake until the coconut starts to brown and chicken is completely cooked through. (My chicken did not brown completely so I broiled it for 1-2 minutes at the end of the cooking time).

Orange Toasted Coconut Rice

• 3/4 Cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• 3/4 Cup coconut water
• 1 Cup wild rice
• 1 tbs. orange zest
• 1/4 Cup toasted coconut

1. Prepare rice in whatever way you are most familiar with (I steamed it, as mentioned above), soaked in the combination of coconut water and orange juice.
2. While rice is cooking, toast coconut in the oven. (I toasted my coconut while the chicken tenders were baking. I scattered it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, placed it in the oven and checked on it frequently, removing it when it browned and crisped slightly.)
3. When rice is finished, stir the orange zest into it and top with toasted coconut.

*Sorry about the terrible pictures. My mom and I were quite hungry by the time this dinner was finished, and we completely forgot to take pictures. These pictures were taken about halfway through the meal.