Open Faced Apple Pecan Cornbread Tamale With Lamb Chops

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Tonight, a Taste of the Town with a seasonal twist. CBS4's Lisa Petrillo enlists the talents of local culinary expert Chef David Hackett to help you create a holiday meal to remember.

Chef Hackett is Executive Chef at the Biltmore Hotel and Biltmore Culinary Academy where he's sharing his recipe for Open Faced Apple Pecan Sage Cornbread Tamale with grilled lamb chops.

Makes 6 to 8 tamales 

• 4 -5 cups large cornbread cubes
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 egg
• granny smith apples (1 diced and 1 thinly sliced)
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh sage
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 1 stalk celery, diced small (optional)
• ¾ cup chopped pecans
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• pinch salt
• Sugar to brule apples (garnish)
• Dried corn husks (rehydrate in water)

For the CORNBREAD

• ¾ cup + 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ cups buttermilk (or milk soured with 1-2 tbsp. lemon juice) 

Method: 

Cornbread

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish well with butter and set aside
3. Sift together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.
4. Add the eggs and milk and beat together until the batter is smooth.
5. Pour batter into the well-greased baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Allow the cornbread to cool slightly and remove it from the pan. Let the cornbread reach room temperature prior to working with it. 

Tamale

1. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and add the garlic, onions and celery.
2. Cook just until the onions have softened but not browned.
3. Toss the cooked onion mixture with the cornbread cubes, diced apples, chopped pecan, sage, salt, pepper, melted butter, egg, and chicken or vegetable stock.
4. Tear the corn husk in half and peel 2 strips off each side and tie each end of the corn husk to form a boat, invert or turn the corn husk inside out.
5. Place the cornbread mixture evenly into the corn husk boat
6. Bake at 350-degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Garnish with 2 slices of granny smith apples and sprinkle with sugar and brule the top of the tamale and serve

FOR THE LAMP CHOPS

Season lamb chops with Kosher Salt and pepper both sides. Make sure Grill is very hot before placing chops on the grill. Sprinkle a little oil on the lamb before putting onto the grill.  Grill on both sides to create sear from grill. Cook to the desired temperature until the meat reaches at least 110 degrees (for rare meat).