I have a yearning every once in a while for Mexican food and when that happens, an easy casserole usually fits the bill. It is so much easier than the authentic dishes of Mexico.
I have been to Oaxaca to learn how to prepare their style of cooking, and although it was very interesting, there are a lot of steps to get to the final dish and I don’t have the time to grind, puree or grill on a comal pan to get the final results needed.
One of my favorite Mexican dishes and one I always order is chiles relleno. I rate a good Mexican restaurant by this dish. It is not a complicated dish to make but you need to stuff the poblano chiles with cheese, then make a batter, fry them and then make a sauce to cover the fried peppers. This casserole, all in one pan, is a great substitute.
Chile Relleno Casserole
Serves 8
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
In a large skillet, add:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Cook till softened, about 5 minutes:
1 onion, chopped fine
Stir in:
2 pounds ground beef or chicken
Add:
4 poblano chiles, stemmed, seed removed and chopped or 2 (7 ounce) cans chopped green chiles
Cook until brown, about 10 minutes.
Stir in:
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook until fragrant.
Stir in:
1 (10 ounce) can Ro-Tel tomatoes with chiles, drained
Cook until dry, one minute.
Turn off the heat, stir in:
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Scrape into a 13×9-inch baking dish, press into an even layer.
Combine:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Slowly whisk in:
3/4 cup milk
Whip until foamy, 1 minute:
2 egg whites
Increase speed to medium-high. Whip till stiff peaks form, another 3 minutes.
Whisk 1/3 of the whites into the milk-flour batter to lighten.
Gently fold in remaining whites, one scoop at a time, until combined. Pour batter over the meat mixture in the baking dish.
Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Sprinkle:
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese over top. Bake until golden, another 10 minutes.
Cool for 10 minutes and serve.
Tamale Pie
Serves 6-8
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a 12-inch skillet, over medium-high heat, add:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Add and cook till brown:
1 pound lean ground turkey or beef
Stir in:
1 onion, chopped fine
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded and minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
Stir in:
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup corn
Sliced olives
Simmer until liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes.
Bring to boil:
2-1/2 cups water
3/4 cup coarse cornmeal — pour in slowly to prevent clumping
Whisk until cornmeal thickens, 3 minutes. Stir in:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Into meat mixture, stir in:
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Scrape into a pie plate or 2-quart baking dish. Spread cornmeal on top to seal to the edges.
Cover with foil.
Bake for 30 minutes. Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes.
Or if you want the tamale pie to be vegetarian, this would work well for a gathering:
Vegetarian Tamale Pie
Serves 8
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Toss in a bowl:
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained with 2 cups juice reserved
1 onion, chopped roughly
4 garlic cloves, chopped roughly
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Spread onto sheet pan and roast vegetables until edges are dark brown, 40 minutes.
Remove vegetables from oven, reduce temperature to 375 degrees F. Transfer roasted vegetables and add:
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
4 teaspoon lime juice
Reserved 2 cups tomato juice
Process until sauce is slightly chunky, 10 seconds. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Combine sauce with:
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed
1-1/2 cups corn
1 zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1 teaspoon oregano
Place in 13×9-inch baking pan and top evenly with:
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
Bring to a boil over high heat:
4 cups water
Add:
3/4 teaspoon salt
Slowly pour in:
1-1/2 cups coarse-ground cornmeal
Whisk vigorously to prevent lumps from forming. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, whisking constantly, until the cornmeal begins to soften and mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Off the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the warm cornmeal over the rest of the pie in the pan, with a rubber spatula, pushing it to the edges of the baking dish.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until the crust is beginning to brown and the filling is bubbling, 3- to 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.