Black Bean Stoup and Southwestern Monte Cristo Sandwiches
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 servings
- Total: 40 min
- Prep: 15 min
- Cook: 25 min
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs celery with greens, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 fresh bay leaf or 1 large dried bay leaf
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 (15-ounce) cans black beans
2 tablespoons ground cumin, a couple of palm fulls
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/3 palm full
Salt and pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons hot sauce, divided
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes with peppers and onions, or stewed tomatoes
8 slices white sandwich bread
1/2 cup hot pepper jelly or chili sauce, tomatillo or tomato salsa, taco sauce - whichever you have on hand
1/2 lime, juiced
8 slices baked honey ham, from the deli counter
8 slices pepper jack cheese, from the deli counter
8 slices smoked turkey, from the deli counter
2 eggs, beaten
Splash of milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup sour cream
2 to 3 scallions, chopped
Directions
- Heat a medium soup pot over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil to the hot pot, then onion, celery, garlic, jalapeno, and bay leaf. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, then add red peppers and continue to cook. Drain 2 cans of beans and add them. Use a fork to mash up the beans in the remaining can. Stir the mashed beans into the pot and season with cumin, coriander, salt and pepper and 2 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce. Add stock and tomatoes to the stoup and bring to a bubble. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes over low heat. Add the lime juice. Remove and discard the bay leaf
- While stoup cooks, make Monte Cristos: spread bread with a light layer of pepper jelly, chili sauce, salsa, or taco sauce. Build sandwiches using 2 slices each of ham, cheese and turkey per sandwich. Beat eggs with milk and 2 teaspoons hot sauce and season the eggs with a little salt. Heat a griddle pan or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Melt butter in skillet. Dip each sandwich in egg coating and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side to melt cheese and warm the meats through.
- Ladle up black bean soup and top with sour cream and scallions. Cut Monte Cristos corner to corner and serve alongside soup for dipping and munching.