Hearty, spicy, and crowned with crunchy tortilla chips, this soup is a great Saturday-night supper. Serve it with lots of condiments and some Mexican beer to make it a fiesta.
SERVES 6 TO 8
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/2 pound Mexican chorizo, casing removed (see note)
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 1 Anaheim chile pepper, seeded, deribbed, and finely chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups pinto beans, pre-soaked and drained
- 7 cups chicken stock (page 19) or store-bought chicken broth
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)
- 2 cups tortilla chips, crushed, for garnish
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in the pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and sauté, stirring and breaking it up, until it is no longer pink. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan. Add the onion, chile and bell peppers, cumin, and oregano and sauté for 2 minutes to soften the onion. Add the beans and stock and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Quick release the pressure and remove the lid, tilting the pot away from you to avoid the escaping steam. Taste the soup for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve the soup garnished with tortilla chips and chopped cilantro
