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Pinto Cornbread Bake
by Jen Hirt, from the January 2003 newsletter
The elusive legumes - how to eat more of them? Seems I am continually searching
for a bean-based recipe that isn't chili, tacos, burritos, or enchiladas. Those
four dishes are very tasty and wide open to unusual additions and alterations,
but it can't hurt to add one more bean option to the repertoire.
This recipe was a pleasant surprise. I spotted it on the back of a plain old pinto bean bag from the store. I substituted my favorite cornbread recipe, from Mollie Katzen's Still Life with Menu, and adjusted the seasonings, but this is pretty much the original recipe. The taste is a mix of savory cornbread and rich pinto beans. The tang of tomatoes, chilies, and seasonings, plus the melted cheese, is simply delicious.
I used dried beans, soaked overnight and simmered for a couple hours, but canned beans will work just as well. Pinto Cornbread is very filling. It's a dinner all by itself, and it made a delicious reheated lunch. This recipe can easily go vegan - eliminate the cheese, and use soy milk, soy margarine, and an egg substitute instead.
Pinto Cornbread Bake
Serves 4-6
For the cornbread:
1 cup cornbread
1 cup white flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 tbsp. melted butter
For the pinto bean filling:
3 cups cooked Pinto Beans (if you are starting with dried beans, soak 1 cup of beans)
½ a medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. flour
a small can (4 oz.) of diced chilies
a 14 ½ oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
a dash of seasonings of your choice - cumin, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, etc…
First, prepare the cornbread batter in a large bowl. Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and slowly stir in the wet ingredients. Stir until just barely mixed. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 400.
In a pot or pan large enough to eventually hold the beans and tomatoes, sauté the onion and garlic in the tablespoon of oil over low heat until soft, about ten minutes. Sprinkle the tablespoon of flour, stir well, and add the chilies. Being a lightweight in the chili arena, I did not use the entire can, and the recipe turned out fine. Add the entire can of tomatoes, liquid included. Stir well, and last of all, add the beans. Keep the heat on low.
With a potato masher or the back of a fork, mash the mixture a little bit. You might also add a couple tablespoons of water, depending on how much liquid was in the can of tomatoes. The goal is to have a slightly moist and sticky bean concoction that will spread well over cornbread.
Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray. Spread enough of the cornbread batter to cover the bottom in an even layer. Reserve at least 1/3 of the batter for later. If the bottom layer of cornbread seems thin, or if it doesn't reach the edges adequately, don't worry - it will spread nicely as it cooks. Next, sprinkle 2/3 of a cup of grated cheese on the cornbread. Then, spread all of the pinto bean filling. Sprinkle with your choice of seasonings. Spoon the remaining batter on top, like little islands of cornbread. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup of shredded cheese.
Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until the cornbread on the bottom is done and the cornbread on top is golden-brown.
Jen Hirt is an MFA student in creative writing at the University of Idaho. She's working on a collection of essays about greenhouses.
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