Spicy Black Bean and Brown Rice Soup with Tortilla Strips

I haven't had a lot of time to post.  Between getting settled in Rochester, unpacking, and studying for the bar, it's been a bit busy.  I've been cooking... but it was mostly stuff I've already posted on here.  I'm hoping to get to the Public Market soon to restock on veggies.  But for tonight, I was making do with what I had left in the fridge.  (And trying to use up the brown rice I had made a few nights ago for a stir fry.)  This was a great soup.

Luckily it wasn't too hot here today.  This is certainly not a soup that I'd want to eat when it's too warm out. But it was delicious and comforting.  It's a bit spicy as written so if you don't like heat cut back on the chipotles and the cayenne (I'd cut the cayenne first... I love the smokey flavor that chipotles impart.).

I cooked the black beans just before making the soup (starting from dry beans) but you could certainly substitute canned if you prefer.  Two can would be enough... just drain and rinse them before adding them to the soup.

We have plenty of leftovers of soup but I used all of the tortilla strips I made.  They added a wonderful crunch to the soup -- it wouldn't have been as good without them.  If you don't want to make your own, you could use tortilla chips instead.  The lime was also a really great addition -- it needed a little acid to really bring out the flavor.

The red color of this soup was awesome.  (You could certainly adjust any/all of the spices to fit your taste... or to fit what you have on hand.) If you wanted it vegetarian, you could certainly use vegetable stock or water... it would still be delicious.  Definitely a very easy, tasty soup.

Recipe:
Soup:
2 tbs. olive oil
6 c. chicken stock
2 carrots, sliced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 small onions, diced (about 3/4 c.)
2 stalks celery, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes (I use no salt added)
1 tbs. chipotles in adobo, minced (you can add more if you want it spicier)
3 c. cooked black beans
3 c. cooked brown rice
1 tbs. chili powder
2 tbs. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tbs. parsley flakes
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
lime wedges, for garnish (I used 1/4 lime per person)
tortilla strips, for garnish (recipe below)

1.  Heat a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add olive oil.  Add carrots, bell pepper, celery, onions, and garlic.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper.  Saute the veggies for 5-7 minutes until they begin to soften.  Add the tomatoes and chipotles in adobo.  Stir to combine.  Use your spoon to crush the tomatoes into smaller pieces.
2. Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley flakes, oregano, paprika, and cayenne.  Stir to combine.  Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat to maintain a simmer.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the veggies reach desired tenderness.
3. Add the beans and rice and stir to combine.  Adjust salt and pepper (and other spices...) as desired.  Once the beans and rice are heated through, ladle the soup into bowls.  Squeeze the lime into the soup just before eating.  Top with a handful of tortilla strips.  Enjoy!


Tortilla Strips:
3 corn tortillas (taco size)
1/2 tsp. salt
vegetable cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 425.  If desired, line a baking sheet with foil (easier cleanup/extra protection against sticking).
2. Slice the tortillas in half.  Then slice into thin strips.  Arrange on the baking sheet to avoid overlapping (it doesn't have to be perfect...).
3. Spray the tortillas with cooking spray to lightly coat.  Sprinkle with salt.
4. Bake for 10-15 minutes until slightly browned and crispy.  Give the pan a shake every few minutes to mix the tortillas around.