Well, it’s soup weather even in the Sacramento Valley this week, so I know it must be even colder in the Bay Area. Here’s a filling and rich vegan soup to warm you up. I use my slow cooker to cook beans, soaking them overnight and then leaving them on the low setting all day. They are done when I get home from work with no risk of burning.
Soak 1 1/2 C. black beans overnight. Drain, rinse and cook until tender in plenty of salted water.
Heat 3 T. olive oil in a soup pot and add 2 C. chopped onions. Saute until tender, then add 1 T. cumin powder and cook another 5 minutes. Add 3 minced cloves of garlic and a dash of crushed red pepper.
Dice 2 lbs. of tomatoes and add to the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes, until they have completely disintegrated.
Shuck 2-3 ears of corn and cut the kernels off the cob. Add to the tomatoes and cook 5 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, add the beans to the pot. Add 2 Cups of the bean broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes.
If you like the soup creamy, puree half of it and return to the pot. If you like it brothier, you can add more broth instead.
Season the soup with salt, lots of black pepper, and lime juice or red wine vinegar.