Tamale Pie Stuffed Peppers

3 tablespoons cornmeal
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon boiling water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 pound sausage meat
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/8 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 pound ground beef
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 1/2 teaspoon seeded and minced hot green peppers
1 large tomato, peeled and chopped
1 ear fresh corn
4 green bell peppers
5 pitted black olives
1/4 cup grated Monterey jack cheese
1/3 cup grated mild Cheddar
Cheese
Salt

Gradually stir cornmeal into cold water in a small bowl. Stir this mixture into boiling water in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring constantly, to boiling; reduce heat to medium- low. Stir in butter. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 35 minutes. Remove from heat.

While cornmeal is cooking, saut sausage meat in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, breaking up the lumps with a fork, until it begins to lose its pink color. Add onion and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder and cumin. Add ground beef and continue to cook, breaking up lumps with a fork, until beef loses its color, about 5 minutes. Add hot pepper sauce, celery and hot green pepper. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in tomato; cook 5 minutes longer.

With a sharp knife, cut corn kernels off cob, slicing about halfway through kernels. Using back of knife, scrape cob to remove remaining kernel bits and milky residue. Add corn to tomato/meat mixture. Cook 10 minutes longer. Add salt to taste; remove from heat.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook peppers in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Trim off tops with sharp knife. Core and remove seeds. Fill each pepper with meat mixture, packing it down firmly with back of spoon. Leave about 1/2-inch of space at top of pepper. Cover top of each pepper with olive slices. Sprinkle with Monterey jack and Cheddar cheese. Spread a thin layer of cornmeal mixture over top, using 2 teaspoons per pepper. Place peppers in baking dish. Bake 50 minutes; let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 2 to 4.