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Prep time
15 minutes
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Cook time
45 minutes
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Serves
6 to 8
Author Notes
A while back, I’d made “too much” barbacoa with goat and oxtails. I say “too much,” because I purposely made way more than we needed for one meal so that I could use the leftovers to make a tamale pie the next day. As I was getting ready to start building my tamale pie, my partner came into the kitchen, asking if we might have something vegetarian for dinner as a little break from the meat-heavy dinner from the night before.
Needless to say, I ended up making two tamale pies that night.
First, I scoured the pantry and freezer, looking for anything I could combine to make a vegetarian version of what I was already making. When we first started dating, we used to make a lot of vegetarian chili, so this was something I knew I could toss together quickly and, luckily enough, we still keep all the pantry staples around for it, eight years later. (Well, not the same ones from eight years ago…) I grabbed canned beans and frozen corn, mushrooms from the fridge, and the jar of guajillo paste I’d used to make the barbacoa.
That last ingredient is important—guajillo chiles make an appearance in almost all of my versions of enchiladas, chili, barbacoa, and yes, tamale pie. When dried, they take on this fruity, earthy, complex pepper flavor that I absolutely love. So you can imagine my delight when I found a jar of guajillo paste in my local spice shop.
If you don't have access to guajillo chile paste, and just have the dried chiles on hand, you can make the paste yourself: Add 2 to 3 dried guajillos, seeds and stems removed, into a bowl of boiling water, then cover the mixture and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the chiles from the water, and puree in a blender or food processor until completely smooth, adding a splash or two of the reserved water as needed. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, discard any remaining solids, and you’re good to go.
The end result, for something I tossed together after having to pivot from my original plan, was pretty great. Enough so that I wrote down everything I did, and then refined it later for this recipe you see here. Now, this mushroom tamale pie is in our regular rotation. It’s rich and flavorful without being terribly heavy, sure to please meat eaters and vegetarians alike. The secret, besides the guajillo paste, is the mushrooms. Use a blend of conventional and wild mushrooms for a variety of textures. I used shiitakes, maitakes, creminis, and oyster mushrooms, but any kind will do. Then take your time with the mushrooms. Let them expel all that water and start to sear and brown. —Jarrett Melendez
Ingredients
- Filling
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Extra-virgin olive oil
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Kosher salt
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Freshly ground black pepper
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1 pound
mixed mushrooms (oyster, shiitake, cremini, maitake, etc.), sliced
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1 cup
fresh corn kernels (or frozen and defrosted)
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2
medium onions, diced
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1
red bell pepper, diced
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2
poblano peppers, diced
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6
cloves garlic, roughly chopped
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3
jalapeños, quartered lengthwise and sliced
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2 teaspoons
ground cumin
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1 teaspoon
Mexican oregano
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2 tablespoons
ancho chile powder
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1/4 cup
guajillo chile paste
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1
(14 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
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3 cups
vegetable stock
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6 ounces
shredded cheddar, pepper Jack, Monterey-Jack, or a blend
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Sour cream, for serving
- Limey Cornbread Crust
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1 cup
all-purpose flour
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1 cup
coarse-grind cornmeal
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2 tablespoons
granulated sugar
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2 teaspoons
baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon
baking soda
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1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
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2
large eggs
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1/2 cup
full-fat sour cream
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1/2 cup
whole milk
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2
limes, zested and juiced
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1
stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Directions
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Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, cast iron Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the water has been cooked out of the mushrooms and they start to turn golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.
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Place the Dutch oven back over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the corn kernels and let cook, undisturbed, for 2 to 3 minutes, until they start to turn brown in spots. Add the onions, bell pepper, and poblano pepper. Season with 1 teaspoon each kosher salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and just starting to turn brown on the edges, 5 to 7 minutes.
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Add the garlic, jalapeños, cumin, Mexican oregano, ancho chile powder, and guajillo paste to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the stock, making sure to scrape up any accumulated brown bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Return the mushrooms to the mix, along with the pinto beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let cook until slightly reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the shredded cheese.
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While the filling simmers, make the cornbread topping. Heat oven to 425°F and lightly oil a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate, large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, and milk. Add the zest and juice of both limes, then pour the melted butter in a steady stream while whisking until well combined. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir until just combined.
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Pour the mushroom filling into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. The batter is quite thick, so avoid dumping it all on top and trying to spread it out. Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to carefully dollop the top of the filling, then use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to gently spread into a smooth layer, completely covering the filling.
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Bake until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before spooning into bowls along with dollops of sour cream.
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