Make these cornbread and chili pot pies slathered with herby garlic butter

I love the taste of soft, slightly sweet cornbread, especially when it’s paired with a warm bowl of chili. And this recipe combines both of these classics into one delicious dish. First, you add freshly made chili into ramekins, then you top them with a cornmeal-based batter and bake until everything’s bubbling and golden brown. Slathered with homemade garlic butter, the end result is something extra-special — and it’s quickly become one of my new favourite things to make in the winter.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
• 0.9 kg ground beef
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno, diced
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 (500 ml) can red kidney beans
• 1 (500 ml) can diced tomatoes
• 500 ml water
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper

Cornbread topping:

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1½ cups buttermilk
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

Garlic butter:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and kept warm
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• ½ tsp salt

Preparation

Heat the oven to 375 F with a rack in the middle position.

To prepare the chili, place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer the beef to a large bowl and set aside. 

To the same pot, add the remaining vegetable oil, onion, garlic, green pepper and jalapeno and sauté, stirring continuously, for about 3 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin and paprika, stir to combine and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the kidney beans, diced tomatoes, water, and browned ground beef, then stir to combine. Bring everything to a boil, stirring occasionally to ensure that the chili doesn’t scorch on the bottom. Reduce the heat to low, then allow to simmer for 1 hour. 

When the chili has finished cooking, remove it from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Allow the chili to cool slightly, then distribute it evenly between six 8-oz oven-safe ramekins, filling them three-quarters full. 

To make the cornbread topping, combine the cornmeal and buttermilk in a large bowl and set aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, place the sugar, salt, flour, baking soda and baking powder and stir to combine. 

When the cornmeal and buttermilk mixture is ready, add the eggs and melted butter and stir to combine. Add the dry ingredients and mix well with a silicone spatula until fully combined. 

Using a large ice cream scoop or spoon, evenly distribute the cornbread batter on top of the chili-filled ramekins, filling them to the top (you may have some batter left over). Place the ramekins in the oven and bake until the cornbread topping is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. 

While the pot pies are baking, combine the garlic, warm melted butter, parsley and salt in a small bowl. Stir well and keep warm until ready to serve. 

Once the pot pies have finished baking, remove them from the oven and immediately brush the tops with garlic butter. Allow to cool slightly before serving. 

Serves 6 

Produced in collaboration with CBC Creator Network.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.