Here’s a hearty, tasty, and belly filling soup.
2ea. 15 oz. cans of Bush’s Best Pinto Beans
16 oz. Chicken stock
2 cans / bottles of beer (Pale Ale, Porter, Stout, whatever you like)
1 large onion rough chopped
2 – 3 strips bacon chopped or diced sausage (or both)
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp crushed tortilla chips
1 cup rice (don’t rinse)
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. thyme
½ tsp. diced jalapeno
½ tsp. liquid crab boil
2 bay leaves
Cook the bacon and/or sausage in a 3-quart pot. Before it gets crisp, add the chopped onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and spices. Continue to sauté until fragrant.
Drain and rinse beans. Add to pot and pour in 16 oz. of chicken stock. Stir well. Use a stick blender or potato masher to break up the beans. Toss in the rice and bay leaves after blending and add a can or bottle of beer. (the other can / bottle is for the cook – it should seem obvious by the directions; this is strenuous work!) Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 45 minutes until the soup has thickened to your liking. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
I don’t add any salt as it really doesn’t need it. The soup can be topped with cheese of most any sort, diced avocado, pickled jalapeno rings or relish, sour cream, etc.
When blending the beans, blend a little to leave some whole beans, or blend a lot to puree – it’s all personal preference. If you don’t want the soup chunky, dice the onions very fine so you don’t have chunks of onion in your soup.
I was assured by my grocer that the bacon, sausage, and chicken stock were produced from vegan animals so there’s no conflict for those with self-restricted diets.
Crescent City Brew Talk 