Instructions: What you have here is essentially a spicy, Mexican-style chili baked under a thin cornbread crust. It should be baked in a casserole of fairly generous dimensions, so the cornbread layer comes out no more than half as thick as the filling.

A gratin dish thats about 13 inches long is perfect. If youre in a hurry, substitute your favorite packet of taco seasoning for the spice mix here.

Lightly oil a shallow, 3-quart casserole dish. Combine the spice mix ingredients in a small bowl.

Brown the ground beef in a large nonstick skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the browned meat to the casserole dish. Drain all but about 3 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet.

Put the pan back on the heat and saute the onion and bell pepper for 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and the spice mix, stirring all the while, then stir in the corn and tomatoes. Cover the pan and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Stir the vegetables into the meat and level the mixture with the back of the spoon.

Heat the oven to 400 . Sift the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a medium mixing bowl. Whisk the egg, milk, and oil in a separate bowl. Add the dry mixture to the eggs and whisk until evenly blended. Pour the batter over the filling and spread it evenly with a spoon.

Bake the Mexicali Pie for 22 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

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