Recipes

[Beebee2]

Even if you don't follow the directions, this soup is delicious. We wanted a light supper this night and this soup is not heavy and thick, although the ingredients are all substantial ingredients. It really has wonderful flavor. And it is super easy. I'll write my 'changes' following the recipe:

Sopa de Frijol

(2) 16-oz cans Rosarita low-fat black bean refried beans
2 c water
6 slices, bacon, chopped
1/2 c chopped yellow onion
1 1/2 T chopped fresh cilantro, or 1 small sprig fresh epazote
1 T chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/4 t salt
1 T pure Wesson vegetable oil
(4) 6-inch corn tortillas, cut in half, then sliced in crosswise strips
1/3 c Mexican cream
1 lime, cut into wedges

Place beans and water in blender and blend on medium until smooth.

Place chopped bacon in large saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until browned. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and set aside. Add onion to bacon drippings and cook until tender. Add bean puree and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; add cilantro, oregano and salt. Simmer covered 10 min.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add tortilla strips; cook and stir until crisp and golden brown.

Ladle soup into serving bowls. Drizzle each with cream. Top each equally with tortilla strips and bacon; squeeze lime wedge over each.

My notes: I made several changes to the original recipe, but they weren't critical to the outcome in my opinion.

1. I didn't have yellow onion, so used red.

2. Didn't have fresh herbs, so use dried - dry epazote and dry oregano.

3. Our bacon was the thick-sliced, and I chose not to add any more salt to the soup.

4. We don't care for corn tortillas, so didn't need oil because I just grilled some flour tortillas with a little Pam butter spray. But instead of slicing them for the top of the soup,
I served them buttered and folded into wedges along side the soup.

5. Didn't have Mexican cream either, so just topped the soup with a dollop of sour cream and the bacon.

6. Didn't have lime and was worried that would be a deal breaker, but it wasn't. I think the sour cream gave that needed sourness to the dish.

As I said, even though I didn't follow the directions, this was some good soup. My husband said to add it to the rotation, so it is added. Enjoy!