Skillet Tamale Pie with Ground Beef, Corn & Bell Pepper

Ingredients

• 1¼ lb Ground Beef
• 1½ cups Corn
• 1 Bell Pepper, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
• 1 cup masa harina
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1¼ cups buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 4 tbsp melted butter
• 1½ cups grated cheddar
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Brown the Ground Beef in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet, then add the onion and Bell Pepper and cook 6 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder, and cumin and toast 1 minute.
2. Add the tomatoes, beans, and Corn and simmer 10 minutes until thick — a runny base will bleed up into the topping and turn it to paste.
3. Whisk the masa harina, flour, baking powder, and a teaspoon of salt, then stir in the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter until just combined. Lumps are fine; overmixing is not.
4. Fold half the cheddar into the batter and spread it over the chili in dollops, nudging them together so the top is covered edge to edge.
5. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 25 minutes, scatter the remaining cheese, and bake 5 minutes more until a skewer comes out of the cornbread clean.
6. Rest 10 minutes before scooping so the layers hold their shape on the plate.