Red Bean and Bacon soup

Extrapolated from a recipe in the Gourmet Cookbook

• 1/2 pound lean bacon (about 8 slices), cut into 1/2-inches pieces, as garnish
• 1 finely chopped onion, about the size of a tennis ball
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
• 2 ribs chopped celery
• 2 chopped carrots
• 2 cans kidney beans
• 2 cups chicken broth plus, if desired, additional for thinning the soup
• a 16-ounce can chopped tomatoes.
• 2 shots medium-dry Sherry
• salt and black pepper to taste
• sour cream

This recipe can be vegetarian - just omit the bacon and cook the onion in butter. For vegans, cook the onion in oil and use tofu sour cream.

I cooked the bacon in a cast-iron casserole until crisp, then transferred the bits to a bowl lined with paper towel. The chopped onions went into the pan with the bacon grease, then after they were golden I added the garlic. stir well and then add the cumin, the bay leaf, the oregano and the cayenne. Let cook for five minutes, then add the chicken broth, the carrot and the celery and beans. This simmered for bit while I ran around after the kid. Basically let it go until some of the liquid is cooked off, and then add the tomatoes, sherry and salt and pepper. I used a lot of black pepper, probably about a tablespoon and a half.

If there's more than an oz or two of liquid in with the tomatoes, you may want to drain it off and add it if more liquid is needed.

 After adding the sherry, salt, pepper and tomatoes, simmer for five minutes, then dish into bowls and top with sour cream and bacon.