Sopa De Habas (Fava Bean Soup With Mint and Pasilla Chile)

I found this recipe in a Rick Bayless cookbook,and just had to try it.Mint always seems just a touch exotic to me when used in savory dishes,and I was intrigued.It turned out to be a warm and comforting legume soup,very Mediterranean in flavor,but with a New World earthiness from the chiles,and yes,just the slightest hint of freshness from the mint.Now when I make this,I don't usually make the pasilla chile "condiment" ;I just toast and crumble a pasilla chile pepper to sprinkle into the pot of soup .Rick Bayless also suggests simply serving it with some bottled hot sauce ,which is good too.From Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen;He attributes it to an earlier cookbook called Mexico en la cocina de Marichui.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 8-10
• Yields: 10 cups

Ingredients

• 1  lb  dried hulled fava beans (hulled favas are yellow or greenish ,not brown )
• 8  cups  chicken stock (home made is beat)
• 6  garlic cloves
• 1  large  white onion
• 1 1⁄2 lbs tomatoes (about 10 plum tomatoes)

• Pasiila Chile Condiment

• 6  medium  dried pasilla chili peppers, seeded and stemmed
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 2  tablespoons vinegar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
•  salt, to taste

• To Finish

• 1⁄2 cup fresh cilantro
• 2  tablespoons of fresh mint
• 1⁄2 cup  queso Anejo cheese
• 5  teaspoons olive oil
•  of fresh mint, to garnish

Directions

1. Rinse and clean the fava beans.Add the broth and bring to a boil.Reduce the heat to medium -low,cover partially,and cook until the beans are very soft and begin to fall apart and dissolve into the broth,about an hour.
2. Meanwhileheat a cast iron skillet over medium.Add the garlic cloves,unpeeled,and roast,turning occasionally,until they are black in spots;remove.Slice the onion in about 6 thick slices ,and roast in the same pan,until they have blackened on both sides,about 6 minuites per side.Remove.Add tomatoes and roast,turning,until they too are blackened on both sides,about 15 minutes.The vegetables amy also be cooked under a hot broiler if you prefer.
3. Peel the garlic.Roughly chop the garlic,onions,and tomatoes,and add to the beans.Continue cooking the beans for an additional 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile make the pasilla chile condiment:Cut the chiles into 1/8 " slivers with a pair of kitchen scissors.Heat the olive oil in a small pot and add the chiles,stirring,fry them for a minute.Add the vinegar,oregano,and salt.Remove from heat and let it sit for about 1/2 hour,or until the soup is done,for the flavors to meld and to let the chiles soften.
5. Just before serving stir in the cilantro and mint.
6. Ladle the hot soup into bowls,sprinkle each bowl with a little crumbled cheese,a drizzle of olive oil(about 1/2 teaspoon),and place a little bit of the pasilla chile in the cenmter.Garnish with additional chopped mint,if desired.