Corn/bean Fork Bread Native America

Frypan Corn/bean Fork Bread Serves 4-6

1/2 cup dry beans (kidney or black)
3/4 cup bean stock

1 large onion chopped
2-6 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg beaten
2 tbs corn oil
1 cup cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1 - 4 Tbsp chili powder

3/4 cup grated cheese
1 tomato cut up very fine
a few green onions cut up
1/4 cup black olives sliced

Cook beans covered, with a bay leaf, in 2 1/2 cups water so about 3/4 cup liquid will remain when they are very tender. If you bring them to a boil, then turn off the heat and let them cool off an hour, you can then boil them without soaking all night previousy. Add salt the last 15 minutes only. Fry onion and garlic in a little corn oil, in a big skillet that can go in the oven. Leave half of it in the bottom of the skillet. Mix the cornmeal, other dry ingredients, egg, beans and bean stock with the other half of fried onions/garlic. Mix thoroughly and pour into the skillet on top of the fried onion/garlic left in it. Bake at 350° for about 12 minutes, then sprinkle on cheese, olives, tomato and onion, bake 5 minutes longer. This is a fork-eating, not a pick-up corn bread. The corn and beans combine protein complementarity to make one serving about 20% of a day's protein requirement. However, you better make 2 skillets of this for your family if this is the main dish.