I find recipes in the strangest places. Apart from the obvious recipe books, reading online blogs, Facebook, Instagram etc., I have found wonderful recipes in my chemist’s shop, doctor’s surgery and even down in my favourite café on the beach – Wonky Café on the Isle of Wight.

I was in there recently sheltering from an April shower, glancing through the magazines which come with the Sunday papers, when I spotted this recipe for Black Bean Soup and knew immediately my soup-loving husband would enjoy it. A quick photo taken with my phone and the recipe was mine. I believe it was a magazine from the Sunday Mail – so a big thank you to them as the soup is scrumptious.

INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1.5 teaspoons sea salt
3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
12 sprigs fresh coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ – ½ teaspoon chilli powder
¼ – ½ chipotle chilli powder
2 x 400g tins/cartons black beans
3 cups chicken stock

To garnish: grated cheese, sliced avocado or fresh coriander

Heat oil and sauté onion and sea salt for 5 minutes.
Add garlic, coriander and spices, cover and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add beans and stock. Bring to boil and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
Blend with an immersion blender and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Serve with a garnish.

I used dried black beans which I soaked then cooked for an hour. I didn’t have chipotle chilli powder but added half a teaspoon of Kashmiri instead. I used chicken stock from my freezer which I make in bulk and store in handy amounts.

This is a deliciously earthy, thick soup with a touch of heat from the chilli. Very warming and filling and the bonus is it’s healthy too.