Pork Pot Pie with Peppered Corn Bread Crust

 

                There's a lot of flexibility to this recipe. Season it up or down using your favorite chili recipe as a guide. Bake it either in individual portions or in a 2½-quart dish. You can make the meat mixture ahead and refirgerate it a day or so before adding the biscuitlike cornmeal topping. Chilled, it will take a few extra minutes to bake, A great cold-weather dish!

Makes 6 generous servings

• 1½ pounds lean ground pork
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 package (10 oz) frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice

Peppered corn bread crust

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 can (4 oz) green chili peppers, chopped and drained

1. In large, heavy, nonstick skillet, brown the pork with the onion and bell pepper until the pork is cooked ; stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, corn, cornmeal, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, chili powder, hot pepper sauce, and allspice.
2. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally ; spoon the mixture into 6 individual pots or into one 2½-quart casserole. (Refrigerate at this point if desired.)
3. Preheat the oven at 400F (200C).
4. For the crust, stir the flour, cornmeal, sugar, and baking powder together in a large mixing bowl ; stir in butter, milk, and egg together in another bowl, and add to the dry ingredients, stir until just blended.
5. Stir in the cheese and chili peppers.
6. Drop large spoonfuls of the crust mixture onto the pork mixture ; bake for 10 minutes.
7. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F (180C), and bake for 30 minutes longer or until the filling bubbles and the crust is lightly browned.

BON APPÉTIT