Mexican Tomato Lime Soup

This recipe is from the cookbook "Moosewood Cooks at Home", published by Simon & Schuster. I was given this cookbook quite a few years ago from someone who had received a duplicate copy. I've made a few things out of it, but this one has been a real hit. It's quick, easy to make, and tastes really great!

We buy good quality tortilla chips to coarsely crush to go in the bottom of a wide brimmed soup bowl. Try President's Choice Lime & Habanero flavoured chips to kick up the heat in this soup!

This soup is a great starter, and is perfect for a hot summer day. Make lots as it keeps well in the fridge.

Here's a link to an online version of the recipe:
Mexican Tomato Lime Soup recipe (Moosewood Cooks at Home)

Moosewood Restaurant is located in Ithaca, NY, one of our favourite little towns to visit, and we always go to Moosewood when we're there. Ithaca is also the home of Cornell University, and has a really great pedestrian only area right in the downtown. Moosewood is just a block away, and there are lots of little restaurants, bookstores and shops to browse. There's also the Finger Lakes, beautiful gorges, etc. to explore.

We'll be featuring more recipes from this book in the coming months so stay tuned to this blog! Click on the photo below to check out the cookbook on Amazon.ca (you can browse the book online). I highly recommend this book!

Len's Black Bean Soup

This is my husband's excellent black bean soup recipe!

Q – Where did this recipe come from?
A – We were down in Alabama, out shopping, and I picked up a bag of beans for soup that came with a spice pack and a simple recipe. One of the problems you have when you get a good soup like this is that it’s almost impossible to try to reproduce the spice packet. Usually when you find one that’s really good in flavour, it’s not a mass produced commercial brand, and you may not find it again in the stores. So, to get you started with this recipe, I’ll suggest you use the Indian spice mix that’s widely available called garam masala (I’ve also used Montreal Steak Spice). It’s in the spices that you can make your own personal signature on the soup.

Q – What do you like most about this recipe?
A – It begins as just a very simple “How To Cook Dried Beans”, and after that, with minimal additions, turning it into a flavourful soup, so simple.

BLACK BEAN SOUP
vegan / vegetarian

1 lb. black turtle beans
28-oz tin of crushed (not ground) tomatoes
Vegetable stock cubes or powder (enough for 1 litre of broth)
2 Tb. garam masala
2 Tb. olive oil
1 med. to large cooking onion
1 med. to large green pepper

Check beans for stones and soak overnight, rinse and drain. Put in pot and cover with about 1.5 inches of water. Simmer for 1.5 hours with lid on.

Sauté onion and pepper in olive oil, add to beans with garam masala and stock cubes. Add crushed tomatoes. Add water if needed, simmer for one hour with lid on. Add more salt as required, more water as required.