5 Days Of Soup: Mexican Chili Bean Soup

 

It has been super rainy in NYC, lately. Like, there-is-a-slit-in-the-clouds-the-sky-is-falling kind of rain and the raindrops are like pint-sized puddles on your arms. The weather report is solidly soggy for the remainder of the week. Boo. So, I'm making soup out of...lemons. Well, that didn't really flow like I thought it would.

Anyway.

I'm making soup for the next five days. In my wellies. With a ladle in one hand and an umbrella in the other. Bring on the rain.

Tonight, I made a hearty Mexican Chili Bean Soup. If you'd like to join in, here's the recipe {wellies and umbrella are optional}:

Mexican Chili Bean Soup

2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, seeded & finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
14oz lean ground beef
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp medium or hot chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 x 14oz can chopped plum tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
3 1/4 cups hot vegetable or chicken stock
1 x 14oz can red kidney beans, drained, rinsed and drained again
handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt & freshly ground black pepper
sour cream, to serve
grated Cheddar, to serve

1) Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion, & cook for 5 minutes. Add the pepper & garlic & stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the beef & stir-fry for 5 minutes until it has broken up & browned. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, & oregano & cook for another minute or so.

2) Stir in the tomatoes, tomato puree & stock, then simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until reduced slightly & a good soupy consistency. Add the beans & simmer for another 5 minutes. Stir in half the parsley & season with salt & freshly ground black pepper.

3) Ladle into bowls & serve topped with a spoonful of sour cream & a scattering of Cheddar cheese & the rest of the parsley.

Enjoy, my friends! Also, the recipe is from this book I got at a cookbook shop in Montreal. What are some of your favorite soup recipes? How is the weather where you are?

P.S. You can also serve your chili on biscuits! Yummo! 

{Photo credit: My Baking Addiction}