hugh's mexican tomato and bean soup

After yesterday's distinct touch of summer, we're back to a definite grip of spring today. It's not exactly cold, but there's an edge to the wind as we trek around Richmond Park in the next stage of Operation Negative-Fattie-Boom-Batties.

Actually, with Milo back at school today, we've got a week of quality time together (or pointlessly bickering depending who is in what mood - I was in the doldrums today), but today we're clearing the decks post athleticism.

With monkey chops in bed we're at a bit of a loss what to cook. It's a slight case of recipe ennui combined with forgetting to take anything out of the freezer, and forgetting where I spotted a fab-looking recipe for a mixed bean soup. Could've been 'magic bean' though, which sounds even better.

I'd actually got to the point of having rice and dried porcini mushrooms on the worktop for a risotto, but in the end we opt for an equally-great, and more importantly, warming St Hugh soup:

 We've definitely had this before, so I can't believe I can't find it in the blog, but on the basis my promises of 'catching up' are at best vague, let's consider this it's first appearance here. It's a great soup, and an interesting variation on similar tomato and pulse-based dishes, mainly because it feels so fresh, light and zingy. The lime juice obviously helps here, but the whole thing sits a little easier than the infinitely heavier chickpea, tomato and chorizo soup for example.

Obviously we have half portions (twice) and Ana teams it with Ryvita. Cos we is fit, innit.

sources
mexican tomato and bean soup - HFW, River Cottage Veg Everyday! p138