Mexican Bean Soup

Goodness, Spring has come on fast. It's crazy hot here, suddenly (90°!) and every bulb in my yard is open at the same time. It's so abundant.
I'm swamped with landscape work, barely cooking and when I am cooking, I'm relying on the old standbys like Vegetable Pie and Roast Chicken. Laundry is piling up. Messages on the voicemail, stacks of unopened mail, unanswered emails... this is what Spring brings.
My Kitchenaid stand mixer died. Here's my new baby. Isn't she pretty?
The first thing I did was make these gorgeous macarons.
Then I made some raviolis (I don't have the ravioli attachment, but I do have the pasta roller, which makes ravioli a snap.)
But really, the best thing I made lately was Mexican Bean Soup. When we were in Mexico in February, we fell in love with the bean soup served at 100% Restaurant in Playa del Carmen. I'm not sure this was anything like that soup - after all it's been a few weeks - but it was so delicious, I made it again two days later.

For this particular batch, I used Rancho Gordo's Sangre de Toro red beans, smaller than pinto beans, and a little firmer. Pintos would also work perfectly. I took a hint from the Borrachos I love so much from LastNightsDinner, adding beer and Mexican oregano to the soup.
It's easy, filling, and oh so tasty. Since the beans are already cooked, this whole dish comes together in about 40 minutes. Some warm corn tortillas make a nice addition for a simple meal.
I'll be back in a few days. I've got two classes coming up, a few landscape designs to finish, and my own yard to tend, but before long, it's going to be time to make rhubarb strawberry jam. CanORama! Start looking around for local, farm market rhubarb and little local strawberries. You'll need 2-1/2 lbs. of each. And six 1/2-pint jars, lids and rings.

Playa del Carmen Bean Soup

3 c cooked red or pinto beans
1 onions
1 garlic cloves
1 lime - zest and juice
1 ancho chili
1 chili arbol
2 t dried Mexican oregano
1 dark beer (I used Guinness, but Negra Modelo would be better)
2 T tomato paste
4 c chicken broth, preferably homemade
Salt

Garnishes: avocado, creme fraiche, toasted poblano strips, squeeze of lime, scallions, sriracha, pickled jalapeno

For this recipe, your beans should be already cooked. I've written about my method here.
Toast the poblano and arbol chilis very quickly. Do not burn, just slightly warm and soften.
Remove seeds and stem and rough chop both peppers. Set aside a few strips of the poblano.
Add everything into the soup pot and cook, covered, for about 30 minutes at a low simmer.
Puree in batches in the blender. Reheat and serve.
Garnish as you see fit.

I might be a hoarder.

I have a larder. A pantry. I put up food. I might need a 12 step program.

I’ve referred to it before. I cooked all through the summer, during my personal Can-O-Rama. I will admit to a certain pride in my larder. Last summer when I was sweating in the kitchen with 50 lbs of tomatoes, my friends thought I was crazy. They said “What are you cooking for? Nuclear winter? It’s only the two of you.”
Yeah. And look at the winter we just had.

Right now, I need to come clean, though. In order to get control of my preserving nature. Because it’s possible I’m just a whisper away from being a hoarder.

I have enough fruit liqueur for a long time. I will not make more booze this year. Or next. I still have at least 10 quarts. That’s a lot of sidecars.
I have way too many jars.
36 jars of salsa is too many.
12 quarts of crushed tomatoes was not enough. 24 would be better.
This is what it looked like at the end of summer.
Here it is today.
Of course, this is just the foods-in-jars larder.

Let’s not discuss the pantry (baking - flours, sugars, chocolate, nuts, fruits, peanut butter, molasses and rices, grains, legumes, beans, spices, oils, vinegars, and all the mysterious wonderful international foods I gather along the way.. )

And then there is the freezer. The chest freezer: one cubic foot of wonderful. Packed, and therefore impossible to see into, it holds many wonders.
During the Snow Storms Of The Century, the three times we were snowed in for more than two days, the larder came in pretty handy.

There were lovely flash frozen haricot verts from last summer. Chestnut flour raviolis filled with sweet potato and ricotta. Lamb shanks - just add two quarts of crushed tomato, wine, herbs. Boudin blanc, served with mashed potatoes and prunes. Ragu. Pizza sauce. Homemade bacon. Pork shoulder. Frozen peaches (heavenly in February!) Corn, cut fresh off the cob, and flash frozen to be roasted and mixed with black beans.

OK. I'm done crowing. But here's what I've been thinking. Wouldn't you like to feel a little smug next winter? Want to join me for a season of small batch canning and preserving? Can-o-Rama 2010. You'll be keeping me on the straight and narrow. Really.

I've started with mango chutney and I'll post that recipe tomorrow.

Basic canning equipment - most available at the hardware store:
Ball Jars with lids that seal, various sizes. 1 pt is most useful. 1/2 pts are nice for jelly.
Jar lifter
Magnetized lid lifter (not necessary, but useful)

Cookware - here are my favorites:
Large stock pot for sterilizing - 12 quart is nice - I found All Clad at an outlet store. I like the stainless pan for cooking tomatoes and salsas.
Preserving pan, non-reactive, at least 5 quarts, heavy bottomed - I like Le Creuset or Emile Henry or copper