Tamale Corn Cakes With Carnitas

For the corn cakes:
3 cups water
1/2 c. cornmeal
1/3 c. masa harina
3 c. fresh corn kernels, pulsed in a food processor
1 c. Parmesan, grated
1/2 t. cayenne
salt to taste
2 eggs, lightly beaten with 1 T. milk
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. vegetable oil

For the carnitas:
1/4 c. ketchup
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2 T. prepared yellow mustard
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. cayenne
3 c. leftover cooked meat (pork, rotisserie chicken)

For the corn cakes:
Lightly coat a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
Simmer water in saucepan. Whisk cornmeal gradually into water then whisk in masa harina. Stir in the corn and cook until mixture is thick and smooth, about 5 minutes. Off heat, add Parmesan, cayenne, and salt.
Spread mixture into prepared baking dish and chill for 1 hour. When firm, cut into cakes using a biscuit cutter.
Dip cakes into the egg mixture, then dust with flour. Fry in oil in a saute pan, browning on both sides. Transfer cakes to a paper lined plate and serve.

For the carnitas:
Simmer all ingredients (except meat) in a skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add meat; cook until hot.

Makes 10-12 corn cakes and 3 c. carnitas. Total time 1 hour + chilling.

Verdict:
When I made these I forgot to put the corn in the food processor. I also don't think I cooked them long enough so when I was cutting them they didn't hold their shape so I just molded them with my hands. It seemed to work out pretty well. When I was cooking these I expected them to be dense. When we ate them they were hollow in the middle. Blake and I both liked these. We were not really a fan of the carnitas. It was a little too sweet for our liking.

Black Bean Chorizo Chili With Cheddar Cornbread

For the chili:
2 t. olive oil
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
12 oz. ground chorizo sausage
2 t. garlic, minced
12 oz. beef broth
3 cans black beans, rinsed, drained (14.5oz each)
1 can diced tomatoes (28oz)
2 t. ground cumin
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 c. lime juice

For the garnish:
1 avocado, chopped
1 roma tomato, chopped
1/2 c. sour cream

For the cornbread:
1 c. flour
1 c. yellow cornmeal
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
2 T. butter, melted
3/4 c. sharp cheddar, diced

For the chili:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat until it shimmers.
Cook bell pepper, onion and jalapeno in hot oil until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add chorizo and garlic. Cooked until chorizo is cooked though, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in beef broth. Reduce heat to med and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Add beans, tomatoes, and ground cumin. Simmer 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime juice.
Serve with garnish and cornbread.

For the cornbread:Preheat oven to 425.
Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Combine eggs and milk. Stir into dry ingredients. Stir in melted butter and cheddar into mixture just until combined.
Pour batter into a greased 9 inch cake pan. Bake until cornbread is lightly browned and top springs back when touched, 20-25 minutes.

Makes 8 servings. Total time 40 minutes.

Verdict:
Don't you just love chili on a cold day? Add a Mexican twist and you have some good grub. The cilantro and lime juice in the chili really made all the difference. I couldn't find uncooked chorizo so I used already cooked (it looked like sausage links). The cornbread was good too. We made some honey butter to have with it.