12610 Makes one 9 × 13-inch or 12-inch pie Wed Aug 06 07:38:21 -0700 2008 Tue Feb 03 10:30:25 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12610 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:30:25 GMT This exquisitely flavored adobo chili features big chunks of stew meat. It's topped with a thin layer of our favorite cornbread and Cheddar cheese crust. Make this stew one day in advance to allow it to cool down and give its smoky, spicy flavors time to develop. This chili pie is amenable to both summer picnics (it's a bit heavy to carry, though!) and cold winter nights. Our friend Todd Griffin brought this delicious pie to one of our first pie socials and he was generous with his recipe. Serve it hot or at room temperature. Dried ancho chiles and canned chipotles are found in the ethnic food section of most supermarkets.

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Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Put the cumin seeds in a skillet. Toast them on the stovetop over medium heat or in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until they smell toasted. Put the dried chipotles and anchos on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they smell aromatic.

Meanwhile, peel the garlic cloves and finely chop the garlic. Add the salt to it and mash them together with a fork or by dragging the blade of a knife over the mixture until it is a smooth paste. Transfer it to a bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons of the oil.

Finely grind the toasted cumin with a spice mill or mortar and pestle. Remove the seeds and stems from the dried, toasted chiles and dispose of them (if you want a spicier pie, save some seeds and add them in the next step). Put the chiles in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they are ground fairly small. Transfer them to a spice mill and grind them down to a powder. Transfer the chiles to a medium bowl and add enough water to make a thick paste—about 4 to 6 tablespoons.

Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat. Put the meat in a large bowl and toss it with the flour. When the oil begins to smoke a bit, carefully add the meat and stir to coat it with oil. Brown it on all sides, then transfer it to a platter. Don't clean the pan.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and then add the onions. Stir them occasionally over medium heat until they are translucent and beginning to brown a little. Add the garlic mixture and let it sizzle a little, then add about 2 tablespoons of water to the pan to deglaze it. Scrape up the fond (sticky meat bits) from the bottom of the pan to incorporate them in the sauce. Add the chile paste mixture and the cumin and stir. Put the beef back in the pan and add 2½ cups of water.

Simmer the meat for several hours, until it is tender and really falling apart. At this point, add the cornstarch and stir until it thickens the sauce. Transfer the stew to a container and refrigerate it overnight.

The next day, add the lime juice and cilantro to the cold stew and transfer it to a big baking pan, such as a 9×13-inch pan or a very large skillet.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

To Make the Cornbread Crust: Sift the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt together. In a medium bowl, stir together the milk, butter, and egg until smooth. Mix the wet into the dry ingredients until just combined, then spoon the mixture onto the chili. It need not cover the surface uniformly. Sprinkle the cheese on top.

Bake the pie on a lipped baking sheet for 55 to 70 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown and the stew is thick and bubbly. Serve the pie hot or at room temperature with cheese, fresh limes, sour cream, and cilantro for garnish. Store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To reheat, place in 325°F oven for 12–15 minutes; until hot.

]]> http://www.chow.com Ron Silver and Jen Bervin 50 Main ¼ cup cumin seeds

]]> 10 dried chipotle chiles

]]> 6 dried ancho chiles

]]> 1 large head garlic

]]> 1 tablespoon salt

]]> 4 to 6 tablespoons water

]]> 8 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

]]> 3 pounds beef chuck stew meat

]]> 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

]]> 1 large onion, chopped

]]> 2 tablespoons cornstarch

]]> 2½ cups water

]]> ¼ cup fresh-squeezed lime juice

]]> 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

]]> 1½ cups plus 1 tablespoon cake flour or all-purpose flour

]]> ¾ cup plus 2½ tablespoons cornmeal

]]> ⅔ cup sugar

]]> 5 teaspoons baking powder

]]> ½ teaspoon salt

]]> 1⅓ cups milk (or 1 cup sour cream and ½ cup milk)

]]> 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

]]> 1 large egg

]]> 1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

]]> Lime wedges, for garnish

]]> Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

]]> Sour cream, for garnish

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