This is a fantastically warming, filling, healthy soup! Serve it with cheese and tortilla chips, or a hunk of crusty bread. We used our mild Mexican blend but you could use whatever you have available! Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 500g dried beans - pinto, black beans, kidney beans

• 2 tbsp Mexican blend OR 1 tbsp ground cumin plus 1 tbsp smoked paprika

• 700g vegetable stock

• 1 large onion, roughly chopped

• 4 cloves garlic

• 2 red peppers, roughly chopped

• tube of tomato puree

• 1 large tin sweetcorn

• handful chopped coriander (optional)

Recipe:

1. Soak the beans overnight in a big pan of water.

2. Next day, strain the beans and replace in the pan with fresh water. Bring to the boil then simmer until fairly tender. Remove from the pan and strain, but keep the liquid.

3. In the pan, gently fry the onion, garlic and peppers in some oil and whatever spices you are using.

4. Add the beans, the reserved liquid, tomato puree and the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and simmer until the beans are very soft.

5. Add the optional coriander and blend the soup until it is of your chosen consistency, then add the sweetcorn and simmer for another half hour or so before serving. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Serve with grated cheese, and crusty bread or tortilla chips.

Cook’s notes:

• If you like it hot, add some fresh chillies or cayenne, or chillies in adobo sauce.

• Try serving with a dollop of sour cream on top as well as the cheese.

• Break up a few tortilla chips and stir them into the soup for an extra crunch.