Black Bean & Corn Bake With Cheese Topping

These Mexican-style baked black beans take very little effort and make a delicious and hearty dinner when served up with brown rice and a green salad, great for the cool weather. I found out after I made it that my neighbours could smell it baking and loved the aroma.

Any sharp, hard cheese can be used for the topping, but I happened to have on hand exactly half of cup each of old cheddar and asiago cheeses. It turned out to be a lovely combination in this recipe.

Black bean & corn bake with cheese topping

1 1/4 cups dried black beans
1/4 cup dried red kidney beans
6 sundried tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 jalapeño peppers, chopped
2 cups frozen corn
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
1 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
1 bay leaf
1 cup sharp, hard cheese like cheddar, grated

Soak the beans overnight in water with a little yoghurt whey or lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the beans are tender but firm. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.

Meanwhile, pour hot water over the sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl and let stand for about 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft. Drain and coarsely chop.

Put a frying pan on medium heat. When hot, pour in the olive oil, let it sit for a moment, then swirl around the pan. Add the onions, garlic and jalapeño peppers and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent.

Add all ingredients except for the cheese to the beans and combine thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a large casserole dish and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake, covered, at 350° for 30 minutes.

Before serving, take the cover off the beans and broil on the top rack for a couple of minutes until the cheese is golden brown. Discard the bay leaf and serve hot.

Serves 6.