Recipe: Pinto Bean Soup Ideas

Mexican Pork and Bean Soup

1/2 pound lean ground pork
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 14 1/2-oz. can chicken broth
1 14 1/2-oz. can Mexican-style chopped tomatoes
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, drained
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

In large heavy saucepan brown and crumble ground pork. Stir in onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in all remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, lower heat and
simmer about 10 minutes. Makes six one-cup servings.

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Pinto Bean Soup With Mint & Pine Nuts

Yield: 6 servings

2 c Pinto or Anasazi beans soaked overnight
1 c Half and half
2 tb Chopped cilantro
1 tb Sunflower or light olive oil
2 tb Chopped parsley
1 sm Onion; finely minced
2 tb Chives, minced pr 4 scallions, finely sliced
1 ts New Mexican red chile

10 c Water
2 tb Pine nuts toasted in a dry pan
Salt

SOAK THE BEANS overnight; drain. Transfer to a large soup pot, cover the beans with fresh water. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse them. Warm the oil in the soup pot, add the onion and chile and briefly cook together. Next add the beans, 10 cups of water and bring to a boil.

Simmer until beans are tender, about 45 minutes for new beans, longer for older beans. Season to taste with salt, then continue cooking until they are completely soft. Puree half the beans and cooking liquid at a time in the blender until smooth. Return the puree to the pot. Add the cream and reheat. Chop toasted pine nuts finely. Stir in the chopped herbs, reserving some of the chives. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the remaining chives and the pine nuts.