Tomato and Black Bean Soup

Smoky, hearty,  mid-winter fare.

From Lyndsay, the cupcake queen, we have another original recipe, this time for a delicious spicy soup. I was going to describe the soup as ‘meaty’ but it fact, it’s totally vegetarian.  

The cook apologizes for her recipe in the manner of all creative kitchen types… "The quantities are a bit nonspecific - that's a result of me just mucking around and not following a recipe then trying to remember what I did".

Ingredients:

· 2 small onions, diced

· 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

· 1 heaped tsp cumin

· 1 scant tsp chili powder

· 1 tsp chipotle chili powder (may want to start with less and add slowly - it's spicy!)

· 1 heaped tsp smoked paprika

· 1/2-1 vegetable bouillon cube (optional - could just season with salt once all ingredients are in the pot)

· 1 can tomatoes

· 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

· 1-3 cups of water - really depends on how thick you want the soup and how long your cook it, the longer you cook it the more water you'll need.

Saute the onions until soft. Add garlic, spices (and bouillon) and continue to cook until fragrant. Add tomatoes, beans and 1 cup of water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1/2 to 1 hour. Add more water if the soup is too thick for your liking. Adjust the seasoning as needed. Remove the soup from the heat and puree (an immersion blender works best for this). Serve!

Editorial Note: I notice that the CQ (cupcake queen) placed a dollop of guacamole on her soup. Great idea. A spoonful of sour cream would also do the trick with a bit of chopped green onion.