Sopa Tarasca (Pinto Bean Soup) with Jalapeño Corn Fritters

• olive oil↗2 tablespoon
• onion, chopped↗1
• cloves garlic, smashed↗4
• ancho chili powder↗0.5 tablespoon
• cumin↗2 teaspoon
• one 28-ounce can whole tomatoes28 oz
• two 14-ounce cans pinto beans, drained14 oz
• water or vegetable broth↗2 cup
• salt (more or less to taste)↗2 teaspoon
• frozen corn↗1.75 cup
• flour↗0.25 cup
• cornstarch↗1 tablespoon
• to 1/2 cup cotija cheese0.25 cup
• minced jalapeño (to tasteone is usually more than enough)

  one is usually more than enough)

• salt, and/or salt for topping↗0.5 teaspoon
• vegetable oil for frying1 cup

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until soft and fragrant. Add ancho chili powder and cumin; sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes; simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to pot.

2. 2

   Add pinto beans to blender; puree with water or broth. Return to pot and stir it into the tomato mixture. Simmer over low heat until ready to serve.

3. 3

   For the corn fritters, pulse 1 cup of the corn in a food processor until smooth-ish. Mix your pureed corn with the flour, cornstarch, Cotija, jalapeño, and salt. Add in remaining 3/4 cup corn. Pour several cups of oil into a skillet for frying. Heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the corn batter in small rolled balls – about 1-2 tablespoons per fritter (a cookie dough scoop works well for this). Fry until golden on both sides. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.

4. 4

   Serve soup topped with corn fritters, crema, Cotija cheese, cilantro, and anything else your heart is asking for. YUM.