Black beans, vegetables and spices are a perfect combination for a new soup recipe in autumn. This is adapted from one in the Guardian's Feast magazine, scaled down as 4 portions are enough, plenty for 2 days. I could freeze more, but space gets limited at this time of year when we are stashing up supplies of fruit and veg.
Spicy Soup
4 bowlsful
1 tin of black beans, drained and rinsed. (So much quicker than soaking them from scratch and probably cheaper unless you are going to eat lots.)
1 tin chopped tomatoes
I carrot, 2 sticks celery, 1 onion, all chopped fairly small
Hot vegetable stock, about 1 pint
1 tbs cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp chilli flakes approx, 1 heaped tsp coriander seeds freshly ground, 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
Lime - optional, but excellent
Heat a little oil in the pan and add your cumin seeds. Fry gently until they scent the air, add all the veg and sweat down for several minutes, stirring frequently. Now put in all the rest of the spices and the contents of the tins, plus the stock and bring it all to the boil.
Simmer the soup for at least 30 minutes or longer. Add salt to taste. The juice of half a lime added at the end lifts the flavour, but could be left out for economy.
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