WFD? Chorizo & Black Bean Soup with Corn Bread
Lately I’ve been reminding myself of what I probably will be like as an 85 year-old woman.
I shuffle around the place dressed in a faded jogging suit, its pockets and sleeves stuffed with Kleenex, and smelling like Vic’s Vapor Rub. I’m perpetually cold, and wear two pairs of socks, even when I go to bed (which is around 8:30).
I can’t concentrate for two minutes on anything; guaranteed time-wasters like Twitter or Facebook hold no interest for me and I find myself wishing I had a good knitting project.
The kicker, though, amid all this depressing evidence, is that I re-used a teabag today. Ugh.
In my defense, our household has been sick for almost two weeks with colds & the flu and it tends to suck the life right out of you after a while. Not to be down or anything, but you should know it’s not always all rainbows and sunshine around here. There are Kleenex boxes stashed at one meter intervals around the house and my stomach muscles ache from coughing. I’m at the point where I have to complain to someone and it may as well be you! Sorry.
It’s strange to not have an appetite, especially for me, still the family has to eat and so we’ve been enjoying our fair share of comfort food.
Take this hearty soup and batter bread, for example. The chorizo give off enough heat to clear the sinuses a bit and the bold flavors of cilantro, lime and garlic can awaken even the most desensitized taste buds. There’s no doubt a good soup does wonders for the soul; I’m even cheering up just writing about it.
Oh, and it’s high time I shared my favorite corn bread recipe. Moist and rich, it’s a cinch to make and always comes out like a dream. We eat ours drenched in honey.
Chorizo & Black Bean Soup
Serves 2
1 chorizo sausage (about 150g)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 green onions
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon whole cumin
2 cups cooked black beans
1 large fresh tomato, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup corn
garnish: fresh cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream
In a small, heavy skillet set over medium heat, gently toast the cumin until the aromas begin to be released and seeds are lightly colored. Set aside to cool, then grind to a powder in a mortar and pestle.
Slice chorizo lengthwise and lay the flat, cut side down on your cutting board. Slice entire sausage in 1/4 inch pieces. Heat a heavy, medium sized pot and add chorizo. Cook for about five minutes, until the pieces start to color a bit. Remove from pan and reserve.
Slice white parts of onions, reserving the green for later, and add to the pot along with olive oil, garlic, and cumin. Saute gently, combining everything well together. Add black beans, tomato, stock, and corn to the pot and mix well.
Simmer on low for about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into bowls, add chorizo pieces, and squeeze some lime over. Slice green onions and toss over the soup. Top with fresh cilantro and serve with sour cream.
Corn Bread
Serves 6
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs, well beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cream
1/3 cup butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Butter an 8-1/2 x 11-inch baking pan. Sift the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and baking powder into a large bowl. Mix thoroughly. Beat eggs and milk together until well mixed, add to cornmeal mixture and combine well. Beat in the cream, and lastly, the butter.
Pour batter into the buttered pan and bake for 18-20 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Slice into triangles and serve warm.
This looks like great comfort food. I’ll have to try it. I’m in Boston and we’ve been sick almost every weekend since January – we relate to the winter misery. Too bad the airline tickets to warm destinations are such a rip off! Feel better.
I hope you feel better soon Aimee! I love the soup (I am a chorizo lover)! Also wanted to tell you that the new site design is really fun!
It’s amazing that you’re still cooking like this, even so sick! I hope you and everyone in your house feels better quickly!
I admire you for making such a delicious meal while you’re sick.
All my family gets is chicken soup!
Love the new blog design!
I adore cornbread – I will try out your recipe. Mine uses shortening and I suspect butter might be nicer!
So sorry you all still aren’t feeling well. I hope you are at least on some good meds that will help you, and the kids, sleep. Good for you for cooking and blogging even if you feel like ick.
Your pictures are amazing in this post, and the soup and corn bread both look divine. It almost makes me want to try chorizo again.
I hope you all are feeling better soon.
My sympathies. We’ve been dragging our winter blahs around for weeks too.
How much of a spoiler would omiting the sausage and using a veggie stock be, much as I really like the addition of sausage?
Aw, I feel for you! There are 8 of us here, and Dad and I are the only ones who haven’t caught the flu during the past two weeks. Yesterday and today it seems we’re on the upward bend, though, as the fevers are gone and “only” the coughs and sneezes remain! So there IS light at the end of the tunnel. Hope y’all feel better soon!
That cornbread looks reeeaaally good. Smothered with honey sounds perfect!
Hi Anonymous- get better yourself! Soup is a good cure.
Hi Tartelette- Thank for dropping by! Glad you like our new look.
Hi CookiePie- Thanks, we’re on the mend.
Hi Liliana- Thank! I still enjoy cooking, even when I have no appetite.
Hi Hilary- I suspect you’ll love it!
H Culinarywannabe- Nothing like NyQuil! 🙂
Hi Michelle- Why thanks.
Hi Jess- It wouldn’t be too exciting, but for a bunch of sickies, probably very comforting.
Hi Amber- Hope you all get better soon!
Oh sister! Sick, yet you seem to produce dinners that aren’t pasta with butter and parmesan? Amen.
If it makes you feel any better, we were sick for 5 WEEKS. It was awful. And there will come a time when you’ll shed your track suit for a skirt and flipflops… hang in there!
xo
I’m sorry your family has been sick for weeks! That’s terrible. Hope you feel better soon. I don’t mind your complaining! I know how horrible that is.
The soup and corn bread look amazing.
I like this recipe. I am on a soup kick so I can’t wait to try it.
too bad you and your family have been so sick! that’s the worst. but the soup and cornbread do look amazing! i hope you all feel better soon 🙂
I hope everyone gets well soon! I love the soup and corn bread! A perfect meal!
Get well soon! Thanks for your black bean recipe — I’ve yet to meet a black bean soup that I didn’t love. For the chorizo, I substitute beef hot links, which are a constant in my pantry.
Wow, looks looks so good. I also love your pictures. Do you take those yourself, because they are quite beautiful, especially if you were feeling so sick when you cooked and photographed the food!
Oh, yeah, Chorizo… forget about chicken soup!
The corn bread recipe sounds good. I’ll try it.
Oh poor you it’s so hard to be sick for so long! Hope you’re on the mend soon!!
Cornbread looks gorgeous but it’s something I’ve never had! I must make this soon
Being sick is never fun – especially when the whole house is sick! But this soup looks like it would make anyone feel better!