Mexican Bean Soup
2 medium tomatoes (about 3/4 pound)
1/4 small onion
1 clove garlic
1 canned green chili
1 tablespoon oil
12 ounces Randall Pinto Beans
2 cups bean broth or water
salt (optional)
hot pepper sauce or crushed red pepper (optional)
3 tortillas
1/2 cup yogurt
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups cubed Muenster or Jack cheese (about 6 ounces)
1 canned green chili, cut in strips
Roast tomatoes over a flame until charred all over. This is not essential to the recipe but adds robust flavor. Combine tomato, onion, garlic, and chili in a blender or processor fitted with a steel blade. Blend to a purée.
Heat oil in a 3 quart pot, add tomato purée, and cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Place Randall Beans in a blender or processor and purée smooth. Add to tomato mixture and stir over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
Add bean broth or water and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add salt, if necessary, and for a spicy soup a little hot pepper sauce or crushed red pepper to taste.
While soup simmers, toast tortillas and cut in strips. Combine yogurt with sour cream. Place some cheese cubes in each bowl. Ladle soup over cheese. Garnish with tortilla and chili strips and dollops of the cold yogurt-sour cream mixture.
Serves 6.