Filling:

3 16-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 bay leaf

11/2 tsps. dried oregano leaves (divided use)

2 tsps. plus 1 Tbsp. chile powder (divided use)

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 dried ancho chile

1 141/2-oz. can tomatoes

2 Tbsps. olive oil

3 cups (3 medium) onions, coarsely chopped

1 large green pepper, seeded, deveined and finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


Onion-and-Pepper Cornbread Topping:

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

2 Tbsps. sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. corn oil

1/2 cup cooked onion-and-green-pepper mixture from chili-vegetable mixture

Procedure:

Put the beans in a large saucepan and add the bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of the oregano, 2 teaspoons of the chile powder, cumin, ancho chile, tomatoes with their juice and 1/2 cup water. Cover loosely and cook 30 minutes. Remove the ancho chile and bay leaf and discard them.

Meanwhile, cook the vegetables for the chili and cornbread. In a medium frying pan, heat the oil and cook the onions over medium heat until softened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Add the green pepper and garlic and continue cooking until the pepper softens, about 8 minutes.

Remove 1/2 cup of the vegetables and set them aside to add later to the cornbread topping. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon chile powder and 1/2 teaspoon oregano, then stir the vegetables into the bean mixture.

Remove 1 cup of the black-bean mixture, process it in a food processor to a puree, and stir it into the rest of the black-bean mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the chili into the baking dish and set aside.

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Into a large bowl, sift the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, stir the buttermilk, egg, oil and reserved vegetables together to combine them.

Stir the liquids into the dry ingredients. Spoon the cornbread batter over the chili in the baking dish.

Bake until the cornbread topping looks golden brown, feels firm and a toothpick inserted in the topping comes out dry, about 35 minutes. Use a large spoon to spoon out servings of topping and filling. Serves 8.

Per serving: 285 calories; 12 grams protein; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 56 grams carbohydrate; 13 grams fiber; 27 milligrams cholesterol; 1,238 milligrams sodium