Chipotle tamale pie

This recipe comes courtesy of Ingrid Hoffmann, formerly host of “Simply Delicioso” on Food Network, author of a cookbook by the same name and all-around great chef!

Chipotle Tamale Pie

1 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tbsp. olive oil

¾ pound ground turkey (preferably white meat) or lean ground beef

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded, cored, ribbed and diced

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 8-ounce can diced tomatoes

1-3 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, plus 1 teaspoon of adobo sauce (depending on your heat preference)

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 8.5-ounce package cornbread mix (plus whatever’s necessary to make the cornbread)

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Grease an 8-inch baking dish with the butter and set it aside.

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, the onions, green peppers and garlic, season with the salt and pepper and cook until the turkey is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain off any excess fat and sprinkle the meat mixture with the cumin.

Add the beans, tomatoes, chiles and adobo sauce and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until heated through and slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in the cheese and cilantro.

Transfer the turkey mixture to the prepared baking dish. Spread into an even layer and press down on it with the back of a spoon to make the mixture compact.

Prepare the cornbread mix according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Spread the cornbread batter evenly over the turkey mixture and bake it until the cornbread is golden-brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it stand for five minutes before serving.

As far as the chipotle chiles go, one will give you a hint of chipotle goodness, whereas three will start you getting in touch with your inner chilehead. I’ve used as many as four, and two teaspoons of adobo sauce, to really get the party going, but my heat tolerance is pretty high.