TERRIFIC TAMALE PIE

Many years ago, Loretta Lynn appeared as a guest on a TV talk show where she made her personal recipe for Tamale Pie.  It looked pretty darned good, so I gave it a try.  I really liked the idea that, except for the corn muffin mix, the ingredients were pretty much fresh or minimally processed.  The finished casserole was good, but I couldn't resist adding my own personal touches the next time out . . . and this is the result.  Delicious!   It makes a great informal family meal, and is a wonderful choice for potlucks because it travels well.  Every time I make it, it disappears.  I give all proper respect to Ms. Lynn for sharing her recipe, and setting me on the path to the PERFECT tamale pie!

Yes, it tastes as good as it looks!

 

TERRIFIC  TAMALE  PIE

 Serves 6 to 8

1-1/2 lbs. extra-lean ground beef

1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

3 or 4 large ribs of celery, coarsely chopped

15 oz. can of tomato sauce

2.5 oz taco seasoning (2 envelopes)

2 cups frozen whole kernel sweet corn, rinsed to thaw

2 cans sliced black olives, drained (4 oz. ea.)

1 box 'Jiffy' Corn Muffin mix

1 small can evaporated milk (5 oz.)

1 large egg

8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

FILLING:  In a large non-stick skillet, brown and crumble the ground beef until all pink is gone.  Add the chopped onions, green pepper and celery and continue sauteing until the veggies go translucent.

Add the tomato sauce and taco seasoning; stir well.  Simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes.

Dump the corn and sliced olives into an ungreased large (5 to 6-quart) casserole dish.  Transfer the seasoned meat & veggie mixture to the casserole dish, and stir to mix in the corn and olives.  Spread evenly in dish, and pat down so surface is relatively smooth and level.

TOPPING:  In a small bowl, whisk the milk and egg into the corn muffin mix, stirring until all dry ingredients are incorporated.  Gently pour this mixture over the top of the filling.

Bake at 375ºF for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and distribute the shredded cheese evenly on the corn topping.  Return to oven for another 15 minutes.  Allow finished dish to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

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You may have noticed that no salt is called for.  That is because the taco seasoning and tomato sauce already have plenty to season this dish.

Thanks to all the veggies in this dish, it is nutritionally complete.  Protein, complex carbs, fiber and vegetables -- it is all there.   The only side I usually serve is some chilled fresh fruit, such as chilled melon balls or fresh pineapple chunks.

CHAR SHIU CHOW DON

 
I love Char Shiu Chow Don, and often order it when dining at a Cantonese establishment.  Oddly, I don't think this dish is traditional Chinese, as I seems to only appear on menus here in the Pacific Northwest, and then not consistently.  Origins aside, I really wanted to duplicate this delicious dish at home, so the last time I ordered some for dinner, I paid careful attention to what was in it, tasting for seasonings, and speculating on the cooking method.  What follows is exactly what I came up with . . . and even if I do say so myself, it was as good -- or better -- than the restaurant stuff! 

Here's a good close look at some Chow Don, still in the wok, prepared with shrimp instead of BBQ pork.  The nice bright colors make it visually appealing.  This batch is done and ready to serve with some hot, fresh steamed Jasmine rice!

CHAR SHIU CHOW DON

(aka CHINESE SCRAMBLED EGGS with BBQ PORK & VEGGIES)

Serves 2

1 T. peanut oil

1/2 tsp. freshly grated ginger (use a microplane to grate just what you need directly into the pan)

2 oz. (about 3 or 4 slices) of Chinese BBQ pork, diced

1/2 small yellow onion, cut in thin wedges

3 scallions, coarsely chopped (green parts, too)

3 water chestnuts (about 12 slices from a can), drained and cut into matchsticks

3 medium mushrooms, cut in half and then sliced about 1/8" thick

1 oz. (about 8) snow peas, ends trimmed, and cut in 1" pieces

1/2 cap-full Shaohsing rice wine (optional, but a nice touch)

sea salt

ground white pepper

1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts (about a fistful)

3 large eggs, well-beaten

1/2 tsp sesame oil

Heat the peanut oil in a non-stick wok or 10" skillet over medium until the oil shimmers.  While the oil is heating, whisk the sesame oil into the beaten eggs, and set aside.  Add the ginger to the skillet; as soon as you can smell the ginger cooking (which takes just seconds), add all of the cut veggies except the bean sprouts, and stir-fry until the mushrooms soften and the peas turn bright.  Season with the rice wine, sea salt and white pepper.

Now add the bean sprouts and the egg/sesame oil mixture to the skillet.  With a silicone spatula, begin gently lifting and folding the eggs & veggies, up-and-over, as the egg sets, distributing it throughout the veggies.  As soon as the eggs have set, let the whole thing cook undisturbed until you can smell the eggs beginning to brown, folding up-and-over gently one or two more times, then transfer to 2 plates, add a scoop of hot fresh steamed rice, and serve immediately!  Sprinkle with Tamari soy sauce, if desired.

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As much as I would like to try making my own Chinese BBQ pork at home, I don't think I have quite the right set-up to re-create it authentically.  That means either picking up an order of it from a take-out place, or buying a chunk at my local grocer, which is what I did.   It is refrigerated, so generally found somewhere near the meat counter, or maybe at the store's deli department. If you don't know where to look, just ask. It is pre-cooked and vacuum-packed, often with packets of Chinese mustard and sesame seeds included. 

You can easily double this recipe to serve 4, but you should probably use a larger skillet.  Have everything cut and ready once you begin cooking so you can work fast . . . and don't over-cook the veggies.  You want them to be crisp-tender and hot.  The eggs cook quickly, too, so pay attention :-) or they'll dry out and toughen.

BBQ Pork (Char Shiu) is just one "version" of Chow Don.  You can easily substitute 2 oz. of shrimp or fresh chicken in place of the pork -- just add a bit to the cooking time so that they cook through.  It could easily be made vegetarian by simply omitting the meat, although it adds a lot of flavor.  Don't know if tofu would work, but dishes like this are usually forgiving, so don't be afraid to try it. 

The recipe, as written, is gluten-free.  Oh, and it is also low-carb.