Southwestern Pinto Bean Soup (Pc)

A tasty, light bean soup. Inspired by Lorna Sass' recipe in "Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure". I've eliminated oil and increased the zip. I love that it can be on the table in well under 30 minutes.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  cup vegetable broth (good when made with broth from potato peels, onion skins and garlic!)
• 2  tablespoons  minced garlic
• 2  large onions, chopped
• 1  large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 1⁄2 cups dried pinto beans, rinsed, sorted, and soaked overnight
• 2  teaspoons oregano (mexican oregano, if you can find it)
• 2  teaspoons cumin
• 2  chipotle chiles (if dried, stem and mince. If canned, smash and add a bit of the adobo sauce)
• 4  cups water
• 2  cups corn kernels
• 3  ounces tomato paste
• 1  lime, juice of
•  salt and pepper

• To Garnish

•  diced tomato
•  diced avocado
•  minced cilantro
•  chopped green onion

Directions

1. Place 1 cup of vegetable broth in 4 quart (or larger pressure cooker). Bring to a full simmer.
2. Add garlic to broth, simmer 1 minute.
3. Add chopped onions and diced red bell pepper to garlic broth mix. Simmer 2 minutes.
4. Drain and rinse pinto beans from overnight soak. Add to the mixture in the pressure cooker.
5. Add oregano, cumin, chipotle peppers, corn and water to the pressure cooker.
6. Bring to a full boil. Seal cooker with lid and bring to high pressure.
7. Cook beans at high pressure for 10 minutes. Allow pressure to come down naturally (or you may use speed release if your pressure cooker supports this).
8. Put tomato paste in blender. Add 1 cup of the bean mixture to the blender and puree.
9. Return the pureed mixture to the cooker and season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Garnish with diced tomatoes, cilantro and avocado and green onions.