5
1/2 1-kg roll ready-to-eat polenta
500 g ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups frozen corn niblets, drained
1 cup grated cheddar
1 cup salsa
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 to 1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Cut polenta into 6 or 7 slices, about 1/2 in. (1 cm) thick. Cover bottom of a 9-in. (23-cm) deep-dish pie plate with polenta, cutting to fit if needed. Place in preheated oven to warm while preparing topping.
Coat a large frying pan with oil and set over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion and garlic. Using a fork, break up meat and cook until no longer pink, 3 to 5 min. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in corn, 1/2 cup (125 mL) cheese, salsa, flour, chili powder, Tabasco, salt and 1/4 cup (50 mL) cilantro. Stir often until flavours develop and corn is hot, 5 to 8 more min.
Turn overtop of hot polenta in pie plate. Smooth as best you can. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until melted, about 5 min. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Delicious dolloped with sour cream.
Calories 353, Protein 23g, Carbohydrates 29g, Fat 17g.
We replaced mashed potatoes with sliced store-bought polenta and added some heat, via hot sauce and chili powder, to this cold-weather classic (upside down).