Chili Tamale Bowls

This is an amazing recipe for your taste buds. It is a chili with polenta that ends up tasting like a tamale. One change we made was the peppers. We couldn't find dried Ancho chili peppers. Instead, we used 3 chipotles in adobo. I would recommend 1-2 if you are not a fan of spicy foods. Or you could seed them. Also, we didn't have any tomato paste at the time, so we substituted with tomato sauce.

Ingredients

• 3 Ancho chili peppers, seeds and stems removed
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 pounds ground pork
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin, a palmful
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
• 2 pinches cinnamon
• A pinch of ground cloves
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup lager beer
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup quick cooking polenta
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 rounded tablespoon honey or agave syrup
• 2 cups shredded Pepper Jack or other soft melting cheese
• Suggested garnish: wedges of lime, fresh chopped cilantro, thinly sliced scallions
• Yields: Serves 4

Preparation

Place anchos in a pot and cover with about 2 1/2 cups stock
and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer to soften peppers,
7 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons EVOO, a couple of turns of the
pan, over medium-high heat. Add pork and brown meat, breaking
into small pieces. Season the meat with cumin, coriander, paprika,
cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper. Add onions and garlic to meat
and cook to tender 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, incorporate
it and then add beer to the pan.

Purée the stock and softened anchos, then stir into chili.
Reduce heat under chili to low.

Bring remaining 1 1/2 cups of stock and milk to a boil then whisk
in polenta and whisk about 2 to 3 minutes to thicken. Stir in butter
and honey and season the polenta with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour polenta into individual bowl and form a well in the center.
Fill polenta lined bowls with chili and top with shredded cheese.
Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over top of tamale bowls and
garnish with scallions and cilantro, optional.