We have had many requests for Mrs Crafty Dog’s Chilli Bean Soup recipe. This is the version with bacon but it also makes an excellent vegetarian soup by omitting the bacon and Worcestershire sauce.

Ingredients

3 rashers smoked back bacon – cut into lardons (small pieces)
1 tablespoon oil (olive or rapeseed) to fry in.
1 large white onion (finely chopped)
1 garlic clove (crushed and grated)
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder (or add fresh chopped chillis if you wish)
1 sweet red pepper cut into chunky dice
½ teaspoon ground cumin
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
500 mls vegetable stock (we used vegetable Oxo)
400g can of mixed beans drained and rinsed
(or use a mix of whatever beans you prefer – edamame beans, chickpeas, sweetcorn, peas, haricot beans, flageolet – whatever you like)
1 stick of celery chopped into 1cm chunks
A good splash of Worcestershire sauce
Sea Salt
Ground Black Pepper or ground mixed pepper

Heat the oil in a large stock/soup pan or deep saucepan, add and fry the onions gently until softened. Add the garlic, then the bacon and fry until the bacon colours – a couple of minutes should be fine).
Add the stock and other ingredients.
Bring to the boil and then simmer for 45mins or so until the peppers are tender.
Season with the salt and pepper – add as much as you prefer.

For a vegetarian version, leave out the bacon and Worcestershire sauce.

You can adapt this recipe by changing the pulses, the amount or type of peppers, even the type of meat. I guess it would work with chopped sausage – chorizo would be fab).

Serve with a grating of hard cheese or finely sliced cheddar and a nice crusty bread.

Enjoy!!

Mrs Crafty Dog