Black Bean Tamale Bake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound ground chuck
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (8 ounce) jar pasilla chile cooking sauce (such as Herdez(R))
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
Topping:
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ears corn, kernels cut from cob
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (optional)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Heat oil in a cast iron skillet until shimmering. Add onion, green pepper, and salt. Cook and stir until soft, about 5 minutes. Add ground chuck and garlic; cook until meat is browned, about 5 minutes. Drain fat if desired. Add beans, chile cooking sauce, and tomatoes. Cook until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add cornmeal and salt; cook until thick and creamy, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add corn, Monterey Jack cheese, and jalapeno. Stir well and spread over meat mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden and filling is bubbling, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.