Black Bean And Corn Soup Recipe
Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 8 fresh medium-size tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 serrano chili
• 1 green pepper (or red or yellow)
• 3 cloves garlic, grated or minced
• 2 medium onions, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 3 cups cooked black beans (rinsed if from a can)
• 3 cups unsalted chicken broth
• salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions
Brush a baking pan with some of the olive oil, and on it lay halved tomatoes and the corn. (If using canned tomatoes, skip this step). Roast at 450F for 20 minutes (turning the corn occasionally), or grill or broil until beginning to brown. Peel and seed the tomatoes and roughly chop (save and strain any juice). Using either the broiler or the stovetop, blacken the chili and the pepper. Put into a paper bag for five minutes, and then seed and peel the pepper, and peel and partially seed the chili. Mince both and set aside. Into a Dutch oven or heavy large skillet brown the onions and garlic in the remaining olive oil (the browning adds more flavor). Add the cumin and cook for a minute, and then add the vegetables (and any tomato juice). After two minutes add the beans and the chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for twenty minutes. Let the soup sit for at least an hour to allow the flavors to mingle (or refrigerate for up to two days). Reheat, check for salt and pepper, sprinkle with the cilantro, and serve with a sweet corn bread. VARIATION: Mince six strips of bacon, and saute in pan until fat is rendered. Add the onions and garlic and continue with the recipe as above. Add olive oil if the bacon is particularly lean.