Year of the Bean

Fall is really coming in, and I’ve got some great stock in the freezer. With more roast chicken to come, there will be more stock as well, so: better use it! I really like using stock to get the most out of any meat I do eat, in terms of flavor, nutrition, and value, and find that I usually don’t really need extra meat when I use it to make a soup or grain. So with a bunch of great peppers and beans, time for a nice warming bean soup with chicken stock (and of course, you can just sub in a good veggie stock made from your scraps as well)

Ingredients

• 500 mL good chicken or veggie stock
• 200g cranberry beans
• one onion, chopped
• one cup corn (either fresh, roasted, or frozen)
• 4-5 small or 2 large leeks, white sections chopped
• one large or two smaller carrots, chopped
• one stalk celery, chopped
• 2-3 poblano peppers, chopped
• 2 ripe jalapeño peppers, chopped
• one hot pepper diced fine
• one bay leaf
• olive oil
• salt

Procedure

1. Cook beans – cover with 2″ of water and add bay leaf, raise to a boil for 5 minutes, then simmer until soft but a good deal of liquid remains; add salt, stir, and set aside
2. Heat oil to medium in heavy-bottomed large soup pot or Dutch oven; when oil is warm, add onion, leek, carrot, and celery, along with some salt; cover to sweat for a few minutes and then remove lid, cook until they begin to brown
3. Add peppers and cook until they begin to soften
4. Add corn and stir to combine
5. Add beans and their liquid, and cook for a few minutes
6. Add stock, and cook until combined; season to taste, and enjoy!