What? Serena’s Tarascan soup
How much? Approximately $10 depending on how organic you go.
Why? Because combining the warmth of chilli with the fantasy of Mexico will help you weather the coldest winter months… and it’s just delish.
Can’t make it to Cabo San Lucas for reading week this year? Love anything and everything chili? Why not bring all that warmth into your kitchen this semester with this delightfully simple pinto bean soup? A number of years ago, after spending a few weeks in Mexico, Sophie’s family friend brought this soup back to Canada. Not only is it easy, tasty, and cheap, but the presentation makes it look oh-so-fancy.
Fun fact: Tarascan is another name for the ethnic-linguistic group in Mexico, also known as P’urhépecha from the state Michoacán.
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Serena’s Tarascan soup
• 2 large (or 3 small) onions
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 can (28 oz) of whole tomatoes
(1 ½ cups freshly diced tomatoes)
• 2 cans pinto beans
• 2 ½ cups broth (veggie or meat
based)
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish : cheddar cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, and fresh cilantro (optional)
Mush together the two cans of pinto beans (preferably with a blender of some sort).
Add a bit of oil to a to a large pot, fry the garlic and onions until they are just getting soft. Add the tomatoes. Simmer the mixture for a few minutes; add the bean-mush, and then cook for ten minutes.
Add the broth and a tiny spoon of sugar. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook ten minutes more.
Transfer the soup into a blender or food processor (a hand blender can work nicely here too), and cream until you get a smooth texture.
Serve the soup on top of crushed tortilla chips and grated cheese, and top it off with a dollup of sour cream and a bit of fresh cilantro.
Assembling the perfect bowl of Tarascan soup…
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
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Tips and Tricks:
You can use refried pinto beans instead of mushing them up yourself; this is the easiest but most expensive route. You can also use dry pinto beans and soak them with 3-4 cups of water or broth. Just give yourself a few more hours.
If you use refried beans, diced tomatoes, and cut the onions super small tyou won’t need to blend all the ingredients together. [Note: If you’re vegetarian and buying refried beans, be careful – the cheap ones often have pork in them!]
This soup also makes great leftovers. The longer it sits on the oven and simmers, the stronger the flavour becomes!