Pinto Bean Soup over Rice with Red Chile and Cheese by Deborah Madison

Pinto Bean Soup over Rice
with Red Chile and Cheese
by Deborah Madison
from Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen
(Broadway Books, 2006)
Makes 10 cups

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I always cook these beans in a pressure cooker, because they come out perfectly soft and soupy — and in only 30 minutes. If you don't have a pressure cooker, simply presoak the beans, then cook them in 2 quarts water until very soft, 1 1/2 hours or longer, as needed. A little masa harina, lime-treated corn flour, stirred into the soup once the beans are cooked, adds the earthy flavor of corn tortillas and thickens the liquid a tad, giving the soup a subtle body. Pour the soup over rice, add grated cheese along with other sundry garnishes, and these beans become a homey meal.


convert		Ingredients
2 cups		pinto beans
2		onions, finely chopped
3		garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons		sunflower-seed or vegetable oil
3		epazote sprigs, if available, or 1 teaspoon dried (Buy it)
2 teaspoons		dried oregano, preferably Mexican
2 teaspoons		ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon		ground coriander
3		New Mexican dried red chile pods, stems, seeds, and veins removed
		Sea salt
3 tablespoons		masa harina
		Ground red chile
2 cups		cooked white or brown rice
1 cup		grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons		slivered scallion
3 tablespoons		chopped cilantro
		Sour Cream

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Method

1. Sort through the beans, give them a rinse, and set aside while you chop the onions and garlic.

2. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and add the onions, garlic, epazote, oregano, cumin, coriander, and dried chiles. Give a stir, and then add the beans along with 3 quarts water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Fasten the lid; bring the pressure to high, then cook, maintaining the pressure for 30 minutes. Release the pressure quickly.

3. Purée 2 cups of the beans and any large pieces of chile until smooth and return them to the pot. Whisk in the masa harina and simmer for another 10 minutes. Taste for salt and heat, adding more salt or ground chile as needed. The texture should be soupy yet punctuated with beans.

4. Ladle the beans and their liquid over a mound of rice, then sprinkle on the cheese, scallion, and cilantro, ending with a dollop of sour cream.

Reviews

[Monita Olive] I always have pinto beans in the pantry, as pinto bean soup is a comfort food for me. I had never puréed beans to make a thicker soup, nor had I ever added masa harina for the same purpose. I love how doing so made the soup thicker and the chiles gave it a great kick. I'll definitely make this recipe again.

[Kristen Kennedy] This soup required a lot more salt and ground chile (I also added hot sauce), but once assembled according to the directions, the flavor and texture were good. The garnishes really made the soup a success — the cheese and scallions in particular were great complements to the hearty soup. I made this soup while housebound during a blizzard and it was just perfect, especially served with my homemade corn tortillas!

[Kim Graham] I found the flavors seemed to develop nicely over a few days in the fridge. It still wasn't quite spicy enough for my tastes, but it had a nice depth of flavor.