Titi's Beans Soup - Sopa de Frijoles

Recipe from Martha M. de Pego (Titi)

Ingredients
1/4 medium onion or 3 tablespoons onion juice (see Notes)

2 tablespoons canola or light taste olive oil

1 14.5 can (14.5 oz)of whole tomatoes, including sauce (see Notes)

4 cups cooked beans, including the liquid
2 or 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon Mexican dry oregano, or more to taste

Garnishments
1 cup Mexican Manchego, Oaxaca, Quesadilla, or Muenster cheese, cubed
Dry chipotle chilis cut into 1/8-inch strips
1 cup of tortilla, cut into 1/8-inch strips and fried
1 avocado, cubed
Cilantro

To Serve 

Sincronizadas made with:

Flour or corn tortillas

Sandwich-cut smoked ham (Boar's Head)

Sandwich-cut Havarti cheese (Boar's Head)

Directions

1. Liquify the onion in a blender and set aside. 

2. Add the olive oil to a medium pot over medium heat. Add the liquified onion or juice and cook for 2 minutes. 

3. While the onion cooks, add the tomatoes, beans, and chipotle chiles to a blender and liquefy. 

4. Add the liquified beans mix to the pot and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the Mexican oregano by crushing it with your fingers.

5. Rectify seasonings and add water if needed.

6. Serve in bowls and garnish with the cheese cubes and dry chipotle chili. 

7. Garnish with the fried tortilla strips, avocado cubes, and cilantro to the garnish. 

Notes

• My mom's recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of onion juice, which she used to obtain by crushing pieces of onion through a garlic press with very tiny holes. I've been able to obtain onion juice by mincing onion on a lemon zester and letting the juice drip into a bowl. This seems too cumbersome for modern days, and I've opted for liquifying the onion in a blender before frying. 

• The original recipe calls for tomato sauce. Whole canned tomatoes often provide a fresher and more intense tomato flavor compared to canned tomato sauce. The natural juices and flavors from the whole tomatoes contribute to a richer taste in the sauce. Since all the ingredients are blended, canned whole tomatoes are preferable for this recipe.