Ingredients
2 lbs. lean ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeño, chopped
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 15-oz. can black beans
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
1/8 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 egg
Pinch of salt
Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Sliced avocado, for garnish
Lime slices, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Over medium heat, sauté the onions and jalapeño until soft. Make sure to add a bit of salt and pepper to the mixture. Add garlic and continue cooking. Add turkey, chili powder, chipotle chile powder, cinnamon and cumin (I specified 2 tsp. of each seasoning, but really this is for you to determine based on your taste and spice tolerance). Sauté until cooked through. Add the cans of diced tomatoes (it should begin to smell really good at this point). Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes. Lower heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes (or until most of the liquid has evaporated). At this point, I recommend tasting the turkey mixture to make sure it's seasoned as you like. Feel free to add more of your favorite spices.
While the tomatoes are boiling, begin making the cornbread. With a large spoon or whisk, mix the cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, buttermilk and eggs. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet bowl and mix until well combined. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the cheese.
Begin building "the pie." In a square baking dish, spread the turkey mixture at the bottom. Top with an even layer of the black beans (rinsed and drained). Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar on top of the beans. With a spoon or spatula, spread the cornmeal mixture evenly across the top.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the edges of the cornbread are brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with your own smorgasbord of toppings, but I love avocado, chopped cilantro and lime.