Monday 9 February 2009

Spicy Bean and Potato Soup

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Today is my research day, which in today's case meant some cooking and baking to fill the morning, before burying my head in some books this afternoon.

I know I said in my last post that I was going to cook something that wasn't orange, but it turns out that by cleaning my fridge out and cooking with the things that need using, I ended up with another orange coloured meal. Well, at least this time it has specks of colour in it, and it is certainly bordering on red.

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There isn't really a recipe for this, as I just threw ingredients into a pot that I thought would go well together. They did indeed, and the result was a very thick slightly spicy bean and potato soup. If I thickened it with some cornflour I could probably call it a stew.

I used some dried mixed beans that I had soaked overnight, boiled them until tender and then added one chopped potato, half a red onion, some red and yellow pepper, one Mettendchen*, 2 minced cloves of garlic, covered the whole lot with water and brought it to a simmer. For further flavouring I added some vegetable stock powder, plenty of sweet paprika, some chili powder, cumin, corriander, a bayleaf, some tomato puree, salt and freshly ground black pepper. I gave it a good stir and let it simmer until the potatoes were done.

*Mettendchen are a German smoked sausage that is great in stews. I had some that I brought back from my Berlin trip, but you could just leave them out or use smoked Polish sausage.

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If you really don't want to cook without a recipe and need measurements, you can have a look at a very similar recipe that I have posted here.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Perfect for today's miserable weather! I'd like to try this with chorizo actually, I think it would go well with the paprika.

pigpigscorner said...

Looks very heartwarming and conforting! A perfect winter soup!

Deborah said...

there is nothing wrong with orange! This sounds delicious!

Sylvie said...

Ginger, chorizo is a great idea. I'm sure you're right and it would go perfect.

pigpigscorner, thanks.

Deborah, I quite like orange, too, but I kind of think I should be eating something green at some point this week. ;o)

Anonymous said...

That looks so good! Sadly, my husband doesn't consider soup a meal, but maybe with all the sausage it might qualify!

Thanks for sharing!

Susan Morris said...

Your soup does look good Sylvie and I think the other posters idea about Chorizo would blend really well. I like it in the colder months when I can cook soups, stews and cassoroles....Comfort food at its best.

Sylvie said...

biz, just add another potato and more sausage and thicken it with a little cornflour (cornstarch) and it will definitely pass as a stew.

Sue, thank you.

Anonymous said...

I wish I made more soup. The are so comforting and easy to make. I have to get the crockpot out again lol.

Jan said...

Oooh now that soup looks good!

Jan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jan said...

Ps: Sylvie - The deleted comment was me as my comment showed up twice!

Sam said...

There's nothing wrong with orange food! this lloks really good!

Maggie said...

What a beautiful bowl of soup - perfect for this cold weather.

Anonymous said...

What a knack you have for building a beautiful dish! It looks hearty and tasty, and is making me look forward to dinner.

You mentioned sausage. It reminded be of a slightly bawdy story about a German lady in America that I will share if you wish.

Peter M said...

It's cold & windy here and this soup would do just the trick.

test it comm said...

A nice and hearty soup for a cold winter day.

Sylvie said...

Chuck, I've not got a crockpot anymore, but like making soups on the stove top as well. You're right they are usually really easy and I guess a crockpot makes it even less work.

Jan, thanks. I hate it when technology plays up on me like that, but no worries at all!

Sam, obviously I like orange food as well, I just have been having an awful lot of it lately.

Margaret, thank you.

Don, go on then tell me the rude story about the German woman and the sausage. I can just about guess where this might be going. ;o)

Peter, it's miserable here in the UK as well and you're right this was just perfect.

Kevin, that was exactly what I thought too.

Rosie said...

Perfect comfort food for the cold weather we are having! Looks delish :0)

Rosie x