Adobo about you, but I think this casserole is delicious!

I should probably let you think I slaved over this recipe for days until I got it just right, but in reality it was a meal I whipped up because there was nothing else to eat.  It had been a busy day and I didn’t really feel like making dinner; my husband was taking a nap or I probably would have asked him to run to the store for some ingredients.

So I opened up the refrigerator and found a container of adobo sauce hidden in the back.  I had some grass-fed ground beef thawed out.  And, thankfully, I make some pretty awesome cornbread.

So, my husband is in love with this dish.  In fact, my kids ate this dish, even if I did give a little encouragement with the promise of an after-dinner treat.

When I asked my husband what I should call it, he came up with the title above.  He’s clever like that!

Note: I don’t cook with corn or cornmeal very often, but when I do, I use certified organic/non-GMO corn and cornmeal.  

Adobo Casserole: I used ground pork here

Beef Mixture Ingredients

• 2 T. coconut oil for the pan
• 1 lb. grass-fed ground beef or pork
• 1 yellow or white onion (about 1 cup), diced
• 1 cup cooked corn, divided
• 7 oz. canned Adobo Sauce, with peppers removed
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. cumin
• 2 T. arrowroot powder
• 1/2 c. water
• 3.8 oz. can sliced black olives
• 3/4 c. can chopped green chilis
• 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/2 c. shredded Monterrey-Jack cheese, divided

Corn Bread Topping Ingredients

• 1 c. gluten-free flour
• 1 c. cornmeal
• 1/4 c. evaporated cane sugar (or xylitol or maple syrup or honey work, too)
• 1 t. baking soda (aluminum-free)
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 egg, pastured, at room temperature
• 1 c. fresh cow’s milk or coconut milk
• 1/3 c. coconut oil, melted then cooled a bit
• 1/2 c. cooked corn (optional)
• 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/2 c. shredded Monterrey-Jack cheese, divided

Plus, additional toppings such as: sour cream, jalapenos, or salsa.

Instructions for the Beef Mixture

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat a skillet on high heat and melt coconut oil.  Add yellow onion and cook until translucent.
3. Then add ground beef, cumin, and salt.  Cook until browned.
4. When let beef is cooking, blend Adobe sauce, tomato paste, and water in a small bowl.
5. When the beef is browned, add adobo sauce mixture and stir.  Simmer about 5 minutes.
6. Add black olives and chopped green chilis.
7. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of arrowroot on the ground beef mixture and stir.  Let simmer about 10 minutes and meanwhile prepare Corn Bread Topping.

Instructions for the Corn Bread Topping

1. In a large bowl, mix gluten-free flour, corn meal, evaporated cane juice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a small bowl, mix egg, milk and coconut oil.
3. Make a well in the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients to the dry, whisking thoroughly.
4. Fold in 1/2 c. cooked corn and 1/4 c. of each cheese.

Putting it All Together

1. In a 9×9″ baking dish baking dish sprayed with coconut oil, pour the Beef Mixture.  Sprinkle with 1/2 c. of each kind of cheese and gently fold in.
2. Carefully spoon the Corn Bread Mixture on top and spread with a spatula.
3. Top with remaining cheeses.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes or until the top is golden and a tooth pick comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool about 10 minutes before cutting.  Serve with sour cream, black olives, jalapenos, and salsa.