Kathirynne's Cooking School (or My Culinary Epiphany)

The women in my family are fantastic cooks.  We pride ourselves on that fact.  And we don't share our recipes with anyone outside the family....

I have always adhered to this "no sharing" policy.  But I recently read Jamie Oliver's "Food Revolution" (called "Ministry of Food" in the UK) , and I have begun to wonder if it wouldn't be a better idea to share our recipes for the dishes that make people "eat to exhaustion" as my friend W says he always does when he comes to my table.  Maybe the way that I can help feed the world is to teach the people in my immediate circle how to feed themselves.  Perhaps if I pass on my secrets for kitchen alchemy, more people will be inspired to learn to cook at home and will be able to eat well all of the time, not just when they come to visit me.....also (and more selfishly), the people to whom I pass on my recipes will think of me every time they cook with those recipes.  I like that idea.

With that in mind, and in the spirit of Jamie Oliver's "each one teach one" philosophy, I have decided to post a tried and true recipe from my own recipe box every week on this blog.  I have collected these recipes from many sources - but they all have been improved by me.  (Cooking is, by its very nature, an evolutionary process.  Usually when I find a new recipe, I make it exactly as directed the first time and then make changes the next few times I make it until I think it's perfect.  Only then does it merit inclusion in the recipe box.)

So, without further ado, tie on your aprons and prepare for Cooking School!

Given that it's winter, I thought soup would be a good first lesson.  I first found this recipe in Isa Chandra Moskowitz's book "Vegan with a Vengeance", which I highly recommend.  I have made a few adaptations to Isa's recipe, and what follows is a delightful soup that is easy to make and has garnered nothing but compliments from those to whom I have served it.

Black Bean Soup

2 Tbs olive oil
1 chopped onion
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3 c water
1 tsp hot pepper sauce (Cholula or similar)
1 c corn (fresh, frozen or tinned)
1 28 oz tin diced tomatoes (or 3 1/2 c chopped fresh tomatoes)
2 c cooked black beans

Saute onion in olive oil until soft.  Add garlic and spices and saute 2 to 3 minutes (until garlic is soft).  Add tomatoes, water and hot pepper sauce.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add corn and beans and simmer for 20 minutes more.  Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes, to allow flavours to meld.  Serve warm.

CrockPot directions: Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.  Scoop into CrockPot.  Add remaining ingredients and stir well.  Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.