Mexican Beans with Chorizo and Greens

from Rick Bayless: Mexican Everyday

serves 4

Ingredients:

1 onion, sliced

8-12 oz fresh Mexican chorizo sausage, casing removed (I used the vegetarian kind)

2 garlic cloves

10 oz cleaned young spinach (about 10 cups) (or one 12-oz bunch Swiss chard, thick lower stems cut off, leaves sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch strips, 8 cups)

2 15-oz cans black beans, drained

1/2 can chipotle chiles en adobo, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped

salt

1/2 cup crumbled Mexican queso fresco or other fresh cheese such as feta or goat cheese

 

Preparation:

Saute onion and chorizo in olive oil over medium heat until onion is richly browned and chorizo is thoroughly done, about 8 minutes. 

While chorizo is cooking, place spinach in a microwaveable bowl, cover with plastic wrap, poke a few holes in the top and microwave on high until completely wilted, usually about 2 minutes (3 min for swiss chard). 

When chorizo is ready, add garlic cloves and cook for one minute. Then add the beans, chopped chipoltes and 1 1/2 cups water. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon. Add the wilted greens and let the mixture return to a boil. 

Ladle into bowls and serve, passing the cheese for each person to add al gusto. 

Spring Soup

Spring Soup

This is really good you may want to double it. I used white asparagus because I am in Germany and it is “Spargelzeit” (asparagus time) and white asparagus is loved by all. We enjoyed the soup with a nice crusty loaf of Roggenbrot (rye bread).

Ingredients:

• 2 or 3 leeks
• 1 small onion
• 2 tbs. butter
• 2 small potatoes
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 and 1/2 cup hot water
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup uncooked rice
• 10 stalks of asparagus
• 1/2 pound spinach
• 1 cup of light cream

Preparation:
Clean and remove the green tops and roots from the leeks, about one cup. Dice onion,
about 1/4 cup. Melt 2 tbs. butter in a large soup kettle; add leeks and onions and cook
slowly, covered, until vegetables are soft but not brown.   

Peel potatoes and cut into quarters, then into slices. About 1 1/4 cup. Add the
potatoes, the carrot peeled and thinly sliced, hot water and salt. Cover and cook slowly for 15 minutes.

Add rice and the top 3 or 4 inches of the asparagus cut into small pieces. Cook soup for 25 minutes longer. Add the cream and bring the soup to the boiling point. Serves 6.