Chipotle Corn and Black Bean Soup

This is a favourite recipe because it is a cook once/ eat twice meal. The soup makes 6 generous servings so perfect for busy weeks when all you want to do is heat something up when you get home. This soup is smoky and spicy and dare I say it--gumbo-esqe?  It is adapted from Dreena Burton’s wonderful cookbook Vive Le Vegan.

Chipotle Corn and Black Bean Soup

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

½ tsp sea salt

Fresh ground pepper to taste

2 ribs chopped celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 pepper, chopped

4 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/3 cup sundried tomatoes (not oil packed) soaked in ¾  cup hot water

2 tins black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups vegetable stock --I like to use marmite in my stock for a rich flavour

1 ½ cups water

2 TB balsamic vinegar

2 tsp tamari soy sauce

½ -1 tsp Smoky Chipotle Tabasco

2 bay leaves

1 ½ cups frozen corn, defrosted

Juice of 1 lime

She garnishes with sliced avocado which is clearly out for me as I am allergic to it.

In a large pot over medium heat cook your onions, garlic and salt and pepper--use oil or what ever you use. I use FryLight. Let cook a few minutes.

Add the celery, peppers, carrots and spices and stir again and cover and let cook for 6-7 minutes until everything starts to soften.

Add the beans, vegetable stock, water, sundried tomatoes and their tomato-y delicious soaking liquid, balsamic vinegar, bay leaves, Tabasco. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15 or 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf--don’t be like those mad old lunch ladies who used it leave it in, plonk it on your plate and then ominously warn small children “Don’t eat the leaf” and scare them making them think it was poisonous. Or was that just me then?

Any way, as I was saying. Remove the bay leaf and then add ½ cup of the corn and using an immersion blender or stick blender as I call it, puree the soup until it is smooth but still has some texture. Add the rest of the corn and cover and simmer for a few more minutes then add your lime juice.  Serve over brown rice or whatever grain you fancy. When we eat part 2 we’ll probably use quinoa. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.