Well, looks like they’re probably going to announce tonight or tomorrow another two week extension of our quarantine, until, I guess, May 10th, and our health minister is already publicly suggesting that it’s likely it will continue until the end of May. While people have been pretty calm and accepting to date, that may start to change. We won’t see armed protests in the streets, but I expect to see more and more folk simply violating the stay at home orders and trying to get their businesses back open, or just simply going out for a bit of fresh air and exercise, despite both not being permitted. We shall see. Perhaps the President will allow some easing of things to allow for a bit of that.

Masks and physical distancing will, hopefully, be maintained – although on my once a week trip to the grocery store yesterday, I noted more than a few who are violating both of those. Way too many folk who seem to think that by wearing a mask, they’ve negated the need for physical distancing. And just a few too many, particularly bicyclists and motorcyclists, who are simply not wearing masks, and presumably relying on that they can make a quick escape to avoid being stopped by the police and fined. I did note quite a few who had masks hanging around their necks or off their wrists, I assume so that maybe they could put them on if they enter a store. But it’s also reminiscent of when Argentina, a decade ago or so, passed its more stringent helmet law for motorcyclists, that Argentines took to the letter, not the intent. It required them to “have a helmet on their person”. For months we saw riders riding around with helmets strapped to their biceps or thighs, until the law was redrafted and reissued.

So, after my trio of comfort foods in the previous post, I find myself on a bit of a comfort food trend. Not sure why it came to mind, but a classic from my childhood, something my mother prepared, probably once every month or two, and one of my favorites – Chili Cornbread Pie. Now, I know I’m not making it the way my mother would have. Her cornbread topping, to begin with, I know was made with Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, far sweeter than the cornbread I prefer. I also know that her version was far less spicy, and I’m pretty sure she used to add in a can or two of beans to the chili mixture. But, this is my version. I might have gone for the beans except for just having finished off that braised white bean dish that I covered in the last post. There are just so many beans we want to eat while living in closed quarantine, if you get my drift.

 

So, let’s start with the “chili”. And let’s be clear, this is 1960s, Midwest, thrown together in half an hour by a mom who had four kids to raise, and outside the house activities as well. It’s not going to win awards from any chili cookoff competitions. But it’s damned tasty. Starting at the back – a can of diced tomatoes (14oz/400gm), a cup of beef stock (240ml), a chopped onion, red and green bell pepper, and a couple of cloves of garlic. The spices… 2 teaspoons of oregano, 2 of chili powder (I used Chilean merquen, which is moderately hot), 1 of cumin, 1 of celery seed, and 1 of salt. A tablespoon each of brown sugar and tomato paste. About a third of a cup of chopped pickled jalapeños from the jar (roughly 100gm), some chopped herbs (parsley, cilantro, basil, and might have been a mint leaf in there too, I just grabbed a small bunch off leaves). A pound or so of ground beef.

In a big skillet, one big enough to hold this whole pie and go in the oven, brown the ground beef over moderately high heat without additional oil, unless your skillet isn’t non-stick, then maybe just enough to help keep the beef from sticking. I would also turn on your oven at this point so it preheats – 190C/375F.

When browned, add the aromatic vegetables and cook for about ten minutes, stirring regularly.

Add the spices and tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring to distribute everything well.

Add the tomatoes, the stock, and the brown sugar, bring to a boil, turn the heat down to medium or a bit less, and let it cook away, stirring now and again, until thick. You don’t want a huge amount of liquid left in this, because it will make the cornbread topping soggy, but you also don’t want it dried out. It’ll probably take about 10-15 minutes.

While this is bubbling away let’s make our cornbread topping. In a mixing bowl – 2/3 cup (100gm) of instant polenta (you could use non-instant too, but the texture will be grittier), 1-2/3 cup (200gm) of all-purpose or cake flour, and 2 teaspoons of baking powder. On the side, a cup (240ml) of whole milk, 1/2 cup (100gm) of sour cream (or plain yogurt, or buttermilk, something slightly sour – if you don’t have those, use cream, and add the juice of half a lemon), 1/4 cup (50gm) of melted butter, 2 eggs, another 1/3 cup of chopped pickled jalapeños (100gm), and about 1/2 cup (150gm) of chopped “American” (or, orange cheddar) cheese.

I used a mixer with the paddle attachment – and mixed the three dry ingredients well, then added the milk, sour cream, melted butter, and eggs and mixed that to a smooth batter. Note, by the way, there’s no salt, nor sugar, in this – there’s enough flavor out of the other ingredients that it’s not necessary.

Then stirred in the jalapeños and cheese.

Your chili’s done, your batter’s done. Off the heat, spoon the batter mixture all over the top of the chili. You don’t want to mix it in, you want it on top. Spread it out with a spatula. Then, pop it into the oven, again, preheated to 190C/375F.

And, bake for half an hour, until golden brown on top. I turned it a half turn about halfway through, just to make sure it cooked evenly. Keep an eye on it, every oven’s different, it could be lovely and golden in 25 minutes, or it might take 35….

And, scoop yourself a bit o’ pie.

Eat! Enjoy!