Tomato Cobbler

When I started dreaming up the idea for The Food of the Month Club, I made a mental list of all of the tomato recipes I wanted to try.  The first recipe on that list was Tomato Cobbler from The Homesick Texan Cookbook by Lisa Fain.   It just sounded like something I would love.  So when my hubby brought home this gorgeous clay pie plate as a "Get Well Soon" present two weeks ago (I had the flu), I knew exactly what I wanted to make with it.

For me, this gift was better than flowers.  I'm crazy about all things made of clay.  My dream is to one day have a kitchen full of clay pots, plates, bowls, cups, pitchers and whatever else I can get my hands on. 

Now, about that cobbler.  When I think of cobbler, I automatically think of peach cobbler.  I think I've mentioned before that my Southern great-grandmother made the best peach cobbler I've ever tasted. Okay, so maybe I'm a little biased.  But I do love me a good cobbler.  I've made cobblers with a variety of fruits, but it never crossed my mind that I could make a savory cobbler.  Now that I've tried one, all I can say is, "Wow!  I was really missing out on something good!"

As the title implies, the most important part of this recipe is the tomatoes.

Fresh is always best, but Lisa says you can also use canned, diced tomatoes.  The serrano chilies add a little heat, while the ground cumin adds a light, smoky flavor.  The garlic, cilantro and lime juice just bring it all together and really enhances the flavor.  I could have eaten the whole bowl of tomatoes.

The cobbler itself was like a light cornbread, but it also reminded me of a tamale pie.  (Probably because I used masa harina instead of cornmeal.)  This Tomato Cobbler turned out to be a big hit with all of us, including Hubby who wasn't too convinced when he first saw what I was making.  But after one bite, he quickly changed his mind.

Tomato Cobbler
(recipe adapted from The Homesick Texan Cookbook by Lisa Fain)

Ingredients:

• 4 medium tomatoes
• 2 serrano chilies, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup Maseca (masa harina) 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk

Directions:
Slice the tomatoes to about 1/4 inch thickness.

Toss the tomatoes with the serrano chilies, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice.  Season with the ground cumin, salt and pepper.  Let set for 5 to 10 minutes, then drain the excess water.

Preheat oven to 350F.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, masa harina, baking powder and salt.  Stir in the milk until well combined and no lumps remain.  Set aside.  

In a large ovenproof skillet, melt the butter.  Remove from heat.  Pour the batter over the melted butter.  DO NOT STIR.  Arrange the tomato slices over the batter, pressing down gently.  Bake uncovered for  30 minutes. 

Enjoy!!!