028 / 75 · Beans and Grains That Go Further

Braised Pinto Beans and Cabbage with Corncakes

4 bean-and-cabbage plates with 3 small corncakes per person · Active 25 min · Total 50 min

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Brown the cabbage before adding tomatoes and beans so the pot has both savory edges and a soft braised center. Thin cornmeal cakes cook in a second pan during the simmer. This is a whole-bean supper with a separate crisp accompaniment, not a bean casserole hiding under a heavy cornbread lid.

Jump to ingredients

Hand-drawn pinto bean and cabbage braise served with three small corncakes.

Leave the wedges connected

Keep a little core attached to each narrow cabbage wedge so it can be turned without scattering into separate leaves. A quick brown on both cut faces gives the braise a better start than putting raw cabbage straight into tomato. The core still needs to become tender during the covered simmer; browned surfaces alone do not mean the wedge is ready to eat.

Small cakes cook more evenly

Cornmeal batter thickens during its short rest. Measure small portions into the skillet rather than making one large pancake that is difficult to turn. These are thin griddle cakes, with an egg and a little flour helping ordinary fine cornmeal hold together. They are not the same mixture as a thick hand-shaped maize dough, so keep the batter and portion size as written.

Make the two pans meet

Start the corncakes while the bean pot is covered and simmering. Keep cooked batches on a warm plate, loosely covered, rather than stacking them under a tight lid that traps steam against their surfaces. The tomato mixture should be thick enough to sit beside the cakes. Taste a cabbage core for tenderness before dividing the whole pot between the four plates.

Ingredients

  • About 1/2 small green cabbage, cut into 6 narrow wedges with a little core attached (450 g prepared)
  • 2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed (480 g drained total)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (150 g prepared)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (6 g prepared)
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes (14 oz/400 g)
  • 1 cup water (240 ml)
  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil (45 ml), divided equally between cabbage, sauce and corncake cooking
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin (2 g)
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt (6 g), divided: 1/4 teaspoon/1.5 g for cabbage, 1/2 teaspoon/3 g for sauce and 1/4 teaspoon/1.5 g for cakes
  • 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal (150 g)
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (40 g)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder (4 g)
  • 1 large egg (50 g without shell)
  • 3/4 cup milk (180 ml)

Set out

12-inch/30 cm deep skillet with lid, second nonstick skillet or griddle, mixing bowl and whisk, knife and board, turner, measuring spoons, food thermometer

Allergens

wheat, egg, milk. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon/15 ml oil in the deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add cabbage wedges and 1/4 teaspoon/1.5 g salt. Brown the two cut faces for about 4 minutes each, turning carefully. Transfer to a plate.
  2. Add another 1 tablespoon/15 ml oil and the onion to the same pan. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cumin for 30 seconds, then add tomatoes, water, beans and 1/2 teaspoon/3 g salt. Return the cabbage, cover and simmer gently for 18–22 minutes until the cores are tender.
  3. Meanwhile, whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon/1.5 g salt. Beat in egg and milk to make a thick pourable batter. Rest for 5 minutes.
  4. Use the final 1 tablespoon/15 ml oil across 3 batches in the second skillet. For each batch, heat about 1 teaspoon/5 ml oil over medium heat and cook 4 cakes, using about 2 tablespoons/35 g batter per cake. Cook for about 3 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the second, until golden and cooked through. Make 12 cakes in total. Check a thick cake in every batch: its center must be fully set and at least 160°F/71°C because the batter contains egg.
  5. Keep finished cakes on a warm plate while checking the cabbage. If the braise has much free liquid when the cabbage is tender, simmer uncovered for a final 2–3 minutes.
  6. Divide beans, sauce and cabbage evenly between 4 plates and give each person 3 small corncakes. Serve while the cakes still have crisp edges.

One measured meal

The twelve corncakes are already part of the four portions, so an additional loaf or rice side is not assumed.

Ingredient labels

Check cornmeal, baking powder and canned-bean labels for additional allergens.

A useful detail

The corncake oil is divided across three batches. A nonstick or well-seasoned surface helps this measured amount work; do not expect a dry, unseasoned pan to release the batter cleanly.

Another way

  • Use 480 g drained cooked red kidney beans instead of pinto beans; use properly cooked or canned beans, not soaked raw beans.
  • Replace the ground cumin with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, stirring it in briefly before adding tomato so it does not burn.

Keep it well

Refrigerate bean-cabbage portions and corncakes separately within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C. Keep at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Reheat the braise and cakes to 165°F/74°C throughout. Cakes can be frozen with paper between them for up to 2 months for best quality.