Tamale Pie - Vegetarian Style

Vegetable Bean Tamale Pie

3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 med onion, minced
Salt
2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes, strain and reserve juice
2 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp chili powder
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2-4 tsp minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 tsp minced fresh oregano leaves or 1 tsp dried
1 tsp ground cumin
1 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1.5 cups frozen corn (do not thaw)
1 medium zucchini (about 12 oz, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
8 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
4 tsp lime juice from 2 limes
Ground black pepper
1 recipe homemade cornbread topping (recipe below)

1. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and 1/2 tsp salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and sugar and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes are very dry and browned, 10-15 minutes.

2. Stir in the chili powder, garlic, chipotles, oregano, and cumin, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the reserved tomato juice, scraping up any browned bits. Off the heat, stir in the black beans, kidney beans, corn, zucchini, cheese, cilantro, and lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Transfer the bean mixture to a 9x13 baking dish. Spread the cornmeal topping evenly over the filling, pushing it to the edges of the baking dish.

4. TO STORE: wrap the dish tightly with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking oil spray, and then foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month.

5. TO SERVE: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Unwrap the dish. If refrigerated, bake, uncovered, until the filling is bubbly and the crust is baked through and golden, 50-60 minutes. If frozen, let thaw in refrigerator for a few days, then bake as directed above. To serve immediately, bake 30-45 minutes.

Homemade Cornbread Topping

1.5 cups flour
1 cup cornmeal
6 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs

1. Whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, butter, and eggs together. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture until uniform. Use directed in recipe above.