Summer Black Bean and Lime Soup
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Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
3 cups cooked black beans - Soak overnight, rinse, bring to a boil with 8 cups water. Cook for 30 minutes or until tender, skimming off any foam that rises to the top. Rinse and incorporate as directed below.
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp cumin
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup sliced carrots
2 cloves garlic
4 cups vegetable stock or water
½ Tbsp chipotle powder
½ Tbsp coriander powder
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp lime juice
Fresh lime
Fresh cilantro
Heat olive oil in a nonstick or heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add whole cumin and brown it. Take caution not to burn it.
Add chopped onions, carrots, garlic, coriander and chipotle powder.
Cook slowly until browned.
Puree the beans with 4 cups stock in a blender or food processor.
Add the vegetable mixture, ¼ cup lime juice, and salt to taste.
Either leave the vegetables chunky or process once more until smooth.
If the soup is too thick, thin it with more stock.
Garnish each serving with a slice of lime and a sprinkling of finely chopped fresh cilantro.
Serve with corn tortillas, rice, or try this cornbread recipe.
Corn Bread
Dry ingredients:
1 cup corn meal (I like the Early Riser Cornmeal from Butterworks Farm in Vermont)
½ cup freshly ground rolled oats
¼ cup freshly ground millet (or oats if you prefer)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients:
Capful apple cider vinegar
¼ cup vegetable oil (I like olive or sunflower oil)
½ cup milk (cow, almond or rice)
1 egg OR ¼ cup applesauce OR 2 spoonfuls nut/seed butter
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8 inch pan with vegetable oil.
In a spice grinder, grind first the oats and then the millet into flour-like consistency and place in a mixing bowl This may take a few rounds of grinding.
Add the rest of the dry ingredients and stir together.
In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients and stir until thoroughly blended.
Pour in the wet mixture into the dry and stir together vigorously until thoroughly combined.
Pour batter into greased pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center tests clean.
For variety, you can add fresh basil and corn kernels in the summer, steamed winter squash in the fall/winter, or rosemary and lemon in the spring.