Tamale Pie 1911*

***MEAT*** 1 pound beef chuck

1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder

1 bay leaf

1 onion -- chopped

3 cloves

6 peppercorns

salt ***CHILE GRAVY*** 10 dried red chiles -- such as

new mexico or california 3 tablespoons meat drippings; lard or shortening

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups reserved stock

***CORNMEAL CRUST*** 1/2 cup reserved stock

3/4 cup cornmeal

1 egg

1 tablespoon lard

***ASSEMBLY*** 1/2 cup raisins

1 pint olives

MEAT. Combine chuck, pork, bay leaf, onion, cloves, peppercorns and salt to taste in large pot with water to cover and cook over low heat until tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove beef and pork from pot. Strain stock and reserve 2 1/2 cups. Discard bay leaf, onion, cloves and peppercorns. Cut meat into 1-inch cubes.

CHILE GRAVY. Cut stem ends off chiles and soak overnight in cold water to cover. Remove seeds and veins and simmer in water to cover 30 minutes. Scrape pulp out of skins. Puree in blender and set aside.

Melt lard in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and salt and cook over low heat, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 2 cups reserved stock and simmer, stirring, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in chile puree, remove from heat and set aside.

CRUST. Combine remaining 1/2 cup reserved meat stock, cornmeal, egg and lard and stir until thickened.

ASSEMBLY. Sprinkle raisins evenly in bottom of 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle olives over. Place meat cubes in layer on olives and pour Chile Gravy over. Spoon Cornmeal Crust mixture evenly over top. Bake at 325 degrees until crust is golden brown, about 1 hour.

[6 servings. Each serving: 562 calories; 1,715 mg sodium; 130 mg cholesterol; 33 grams fat; 34 grams carbohydrates; 35 grams protein; 2.18 grams fiber. ]

Notes: The Test Kitchen found that adding 1 egg and 1 tablespoon lard or shortening to the original 1911 recipe made a lighter crust and that pureeing the chile pulp (which the original recipe didn't call for) made a smoother gravy. SOURCES: Recipe contributed by Emma Gatzke of San Fernando. Taken from LA Times Cookbook #4, June 25, 1911; reprinted in article "Easy Cal-Mex Fusion," By Leilah Bernstein !We got this recipe from the LA Times. Mastercook editing by kitpath@earthlink.net