016 / 75 · Beans and Grains That Go Further
Black Bean and Cornmeal Bake
1 savory cornmeal bake cut into 4 large squares · Active 20 min · Total 1 hr 5 min
Print recipe · PDFThis soft cornmeal bake carries black beans and tomato through the batter itself. It is different from a pot of beans under a bread lid: every slice contains the same mixture, with whole beans visible at the cut edge. A short soak softens the cornmeal before baking. Serve the squares warm with a broad spatula, allowing them to settle first so the tender interior does not fall apart as it leaves the dish.
Drain tomatoes as well as beans
The batter has a measured amount of milk, so tomato packing juice would add unplanned liquid. Drain the tomatoes in a sieve and reserve the juice for another cooked sauce or soup. Cook the tomato solids briefly with the onion to drive away surface moisture, then let the mixture cool before folding it into the eggs. Keep the beans whole by using a spatula rather than beating the final batter.
A soft square needs a rest
The bake should reach 165°F/74°C in its center and show no wet egg mixture. It will still be softer than a dry cornbread loaf. Let it stand for ten minutes before cutting a cross through the middle. A knife drawn cleanly through each line creates four fair portions, while sawing repeatedly can break the bean-studded edges.
Ingredients
- 1 cup medium yellow cornmeal (160 g)
- 1 1/2 cups 2% milk (360 ml)
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (15 ml), divided: 1 teaspoon for dish and 2 teaspoons for onion
- 1 small onion, finely diced (100 g)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz/400 g), drained to give about 240 g solids
- 2 cans black beans (15 oz/425 g each), drained and rinsed to give 480 g total
- 2 large eggs (100 g without shells)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (4 g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin (2 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (0.5 g)
Set out
9-inch/23 cm square baking dish, Sieve, Skillet, Mixing bowl, Food thermometer
Allergens
Milk, Egg. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Heat oven to 375°F/190°C and grease the baking dish with 1 teaspoon oil. Mix cornmeal and milk in a bowl and rest for 10 minutes.
- Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the skillet over medium heat. Cook onion for 6 minutes. Add drained tomato solids and cook for 4–5 minutes until excess liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
- Whisk eggs, baking powder, cumin, salt and pepper into the cornmeal mixture. Fold in beans and cooled onion-tomato mixture gently. Pour into the dish and spread evenly.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes until the center is set and reaches 165°F/74°C. Rest for 10 minutes, cut into four equal squares and lift with a broad spatula.
Save the drained tomato juice usefully
Label and refrigerate the reserved juice promptly, then add it to a soup or sauce within two days, or freeze it for up to two months. Draining for this recipe is a texture decision, not a reason to throw away a usable part of the can.
A useful detail
Use plain canned black beans, not a prepared sweet or spicy bean sauce. The drained bean and tomato weights keep the batter balanced.
Another way
- Replace black beans with 480 g drained pinto beans.
- Use 1 teaspoon sweet paprika instead of cumin for a different pantry seasoning.
Keep it well
Refrigerate shallow portions within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Reheat to 165°F/74°C throughout. Freeze individual squares for up to 2 months and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.