tamale pie
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A baked casserole dish: A dish consisting of a savory, typically spicy meat filling (often resembling the filling of a traditional Mexican tamale) topped with a layer of cornbread batter or cornmeal mush, which is then baked together.
Usage
- As a subject: "The tamale pie is ready to come out of the oven."
- As an object: "She prepared a delicious tamale pie for the potluck dinner."
- With modifiers: "We're having a spicy beef tamale pie." / "This is my grandmother's recipe for tamale pie."
Examples
- "For a comforting weeknight meal, I often make a simple tamale pie with ground turkey and black beans."
- "The restaurant's signature tamale pie features a topping made from freshly ground cornmeal."
- "He brought the tamale pie to the table, its golden crust steaming."
Advanced Usage
- The term is used to describe an American casserole dish that resembles the flavors and components of a traditional Mexican tamale but is assembled and cooked in a different, simplified manner (in a baking dish rather than being wrapped and steamed in corn husks).
Variants and Related Words
- Tamale (noun): A traditional Mexican dish of seasoned meat wrapped in cornmeal dough (), which is then wrapped in a corn husk and steamed.
- Casserole (noun): A general term for a dish cooked slowly in an oven, often with meat, vegetables, and a starchy binder or topping.
Synonyms
- Casserole (a broader, more general synonym)
- Baked dish (a very general synonym)
Notes on Meaning
- The key distinction in meaning lies in the comparison to an authentic tamale. A tamale pie is an American adaptation that captures the essential flavor profile—spiced meat and cornmeal—but presents it in the form of a layered, baked casserole. It is not the same as a traditional tamale.
Noun
- a meat mixture covered with cornbread topping that resembles a Mexican dish