Tamale Pie

 

Photo Courtesy  flickr commons

Vintage Cookery: Chicken Tamale Pie, from 1958’s Sunset "Cooking with Casseroles"

• 1 fricassee chicken (about 4 LB), cut in pieces
• Onion, celery stock, and a few peppercorns
• 1 1/4 cups cornmeal
• 1 can mushrooms
• 3/4 cup ripe olives
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped fine
• 1 to 3 tsp. chili powder (according to your taste)
• 1 can tomato sauce
• Grated cheese

Place chicken, onion, celery stock, and peppercorns in a kettle, and cover with boiling salted water.  Cover, and simmer gently for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until tender.  Cool chicken in broth, then remove meat from bones, leaving it in large pieces.
Reheat broth and strain.  Measure 4 cups broth into top of double boiler, heat to boiling, and add cornmeal gradually, stirring until thickened.  Place over hot water and cook about 30 minutes.  Cool mush slightly, then use about 2/3 mixture to line a lage casserole or baking pan (9 by 12 inches). Place in the pan, distributing evenly the chicken meat, mushroom and liquor, olives, onions, and green pepper. Add chili powder to tomato sauce and pour over all.  Spread remainder of mush on top.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 40 minutes.  Serves 8 to 10.

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