Pinto Bean and Sweet Corn Soup

 If you are tired of plain old beans and cornbread, here’s another good pinto bean recipe, and one that is ideal for dinner on a cool autumn evening. The recipe for my Tex-Mex Seasoning Mix can be found in Appalachian Cooking, or you can use your favorite commercial one.

Servings: 4

1 ear of corn

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ cup chopped onions

1 large bay leaf

1 tablespoon Tex-Mex Seasoning Mix

1 small can diced green chilies, preferably Hatch

1 15-ounce can pinto beans, or two cups cooked pinto beans

1 cup chicken broth

1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped

Minced fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnish

Tortilla chips, for garnish

                Shuck and silk the corn, wrap the ear in foil, and place it in a preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes.

                Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring now and then, until they begin to soften. Add the bay leaf and half the seasoning mix. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the spices are fragrant. Add the chilies, beans, remaining seasoning mix, and broth. Bring the soup to a simmer, adjust the heat, and cook gently for 15-20 minutes.

                Remove the corn from the oven, unwrap and allow it to cool sufficiently to handle. Cut the kernels off the cob and add them to the soup. Keep the soup hot.

                Shortly before you are ready to serve, add the chopped tomatoes to the soup. Ladle the soup into heated bowls, garnish with parsley and tortilla chips, and serve.