Cream of Bean Soup with Chorizo

Some time ago, in one of illustrated magazines, I spotted a very interesting recipe for a bean soup, but when I wanted to make that soup as part of the iron-rich diet, I could not remember where I saw this recipe. I always have many magazines around me, often culinary and in different languages, even those I do not speak. I read them, while waiting for my kids to finish their after-school activities, to learn more about food, but mostly to get inspired. So, in order to find this recipe I went through a huge pile of magazines but with no luck.

I certainly remembered that it was a very simple soup, almost pure bean, and what appealed to me most in it was the chorizo. When the soup was ready to be served in a bowl it was topped with fried chorizo and paprika.

Chorizo belongs to one of my most favorite sausages. I love its spicy, slightly sour taste. I prefer the thick type and one that is least greasy, and especially when it is cut into paper-thin slices. Whenever I buy some, it disappears rather fast. Yesterday, in a small food store, where I often buy wine, I noticed a chorizo sausage. It was this thinner type which the recipe called for. I decided to make that bean soup from memory. The soup turned out pretty nice, spicy from chorizo and pepper, rich and thick, but not too greasy. And its taste had much more to it than the basic three ingredients that were used in its preparation.

Cream of Bean Soup with Chorizo

Ingredients:
4 shallots or one medium onion,
1/2 lb white dry bean, or one 29 oz can bean,
2 bay leaves,
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil,
freshly ground pepper,
2-3 cups vegetable broth,
1 tsp paprika,
1/2 chorizo sausage (about one cup) sliced and cut into strips.

Preparation:
1. If you use dried beans, soak them over night completely covered with water. The next day cook in the same water with two bay leaves, for one to one and a half hour until very soft.

2. On a frying pan, preheat one tbsp of olive oil and fry chopped onion in it for about 5 minutes, until transparent. Add it to the cooked bean or canned bean. Pour in 2 cups of vegetable broth and let it all simmer for about 15 minutes.
3. Remove bay leaves and using an electric mixer puree the beans. If the soup is too thick add extra vegetable stock and let it simmer for another 5 minutes, on a low heat, stirring occasionally, as the beans can easily burn.
4. Remove the skin from the chorizo, cut into slices, and then into strips.

5. Heat a frying pan and when it is already hot, sautée the chorizo on it, until it releases most of its fat.

6. Pour the soup into serving bowls. Sprinkle on top with paprika, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and finish with grilled chorizo strips.