Chili and Cornbread Pot Pie

Last week I was chatting with Hollywood Homemaker on Twitter & she was wondering if it was possible to make a pot pie with chili as the filling & cornbread as the crust. I told her that my mom used to make a dish like that called Man Cooked Meal when I was a kid. We both decided we would try our own takes on it & compare notes on how it went.

My mom's version had ground beef mixed with Tomato Rice Soup & some seasoning then topped with Jiffy Cornbread Mix. I started with homemade chili leaving out the rice & adding black & kidney beans instead. I also made the cornbread from scratch using honey to give it add bit of sweetness against the spice of the chili. The finished result came out pretty darn good and a fun way to serve a pretty basic meal. I liked the fact you get a bite of cornbread with every bite of chili.

You really could use any favorite chili or cornbread recipe to make this dish. It would also be a great way to use leftover chili if you wanted to change it up a little for a second serving.

Chili and Cornbread Pot Pie

Chili

1 c dried beans (we used a mix of black & kidney beans) or two cups canned beans
1 T olive oil
1 c red onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded & chopped
1 lb lean ground beef
14.5 can whole tomatoes
1 T tomato paste
1 c chicken broth
2 t chili powder
1/4 t ground cayenne
1/2 t dried oregano
1 t cumin
salt & pepper

If using dried beans place them in a large pot with 3 cups of water. Boil for 2 minutes. Turn off heat cover & let seep 1 hours. Bring back to a boil, turn down heat & simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Drain.

In a large soup pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic & jalapeno. Sauté until the onions are tender & translucent. Add the ground meat & cook until browned. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, chili powder, cayenne, oregano and cumin. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Let simmer for 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want it to be more like stew than soup.

Cornbread
(adapted from Small-Batch Baking)

1/2 c buttermilk
4 t honey
1 large egg
1 c corn meal
2 T sugar
1/2 t cream of tarter
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

Whisk the buttermilk, honey & egg together in a small bowl. In another bowl mix together the corn meal, sugar, cream of tarter, baking soda & salt. Stir in the wet ingredients until just blended.

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Pack the chili into a 8" x 8" baking pan or 4 individual 2 cup ramekins. Spoon the cornbread batter over the top of the chili, spreading to cover all the chili. Bake for 15 minutes, until the cornbread is firm & starting to brown. Let sit a few minutes before serving.

Serves 4

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