Thursday, January 12, 2012

Granados-Chilean Summer bean soup

This soup scream summer when my country is bursting with crops of corn, tomatoes, beans and everything is sweet and full of flavor. This soup is vegetarian in is conception. Some people will top the soup with a braised chorizo, but most of the people will eat it just like this, toped with a spoon of a mixture of lard or oil with sweet paprika.


Granados-Chilean Summer bean soup
4-6 people
Ingredients:

  • 750 grams of beans, I used speckled butter beans, shelled (without pods)
  • 1 large or 2 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cups winter squash, like butternut, already peeled and diced, about 400 grams
  • 3 ears of corn or a bag of frozen corn
  • basil, a small bunch
  • 1 tomato, peeled, seeded and diced, optional
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced, optional
  • paprika to serve
Preparation:
  1. In a large pot bring to boil the beans in cold water with salt. Once boiling, cover and cook 15-20 minutes. Once cooked strain, saving the cooking water for the soup.
  2. In the same pan heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil, add onion and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add garlic if using, cook 1 minute.
  3. Add the corn, squash, tomatoes and basil if using, salt and pepper to taste, stir and add the water used to cook the beans, just enough to cover the vegetables. If using fresh corn, you can add it grated and avoid using the blender later.
  4. Cover and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until the pumpkin is cooked. With the blender grind the vegetables, leaving a few pieces or to taste.
  5. Add the beans and heat all, adjust the seasoning. Serve hot with paprika.
Enjoy!