Bon_Appetit 2019-10-01

14 – OCTOBER 2019 PHOTOGRAPH BY CHELSIE CRAIG

Instant Pot Red Bean and

Quinoa Soup with Taco Fixins

4–6 SERVINGS It’s key to use dried Central

American red beans here to achieve

the right consistency. The good news is

that they are easy to find: Look for the

Goya brand at your local supermarket.

SOUP

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 large red onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1 16-oz. package dried Central

American red beans

½ cup red quinoa, rinsed

1 Tbsp. sauce from a can of chipotles

in adobo

2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more

½ lime

ASSEMBLY

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. sugar

Lime wedges, sliced avocado, sour

cream, chopped cilantro, crumbled

queso fresco or shredded cheddar

or Monterey Jack, hot sauce,

and/or tortilla strips (for serving)

SOUP Heat oil in an Instant Pot or other

electric pressure cooker on the Sauté

setting. Add onion and cook, stirring

occasionally, until beginning to turn

golden brown around the edges, 6–

minutes. Add garlic and cumin and cook,

stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Add beans,

quinoa, adobo sauce, 2 tsp. salt, and

7 cups water. Lock lid and cook soup on

high pressure 45 minutes, then release

pressure manually. Squeeze in juice from

lime half; mix well. Taste and season

soup with more salt if needed.

DO AHEAD: Soup can be made 2 days

ahead. Let cool, then cover and chill.

Soup will thicken; add up to 1 cup water

before reheating over medium-low.

ASSEMBLY While the soup is cooking,

toss onion, vinegar, salt, sugar, and

4 tsp. water in a small bowl to combine.

Chill until ready to use.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls

and top with pickled onions and other

toppings of your choice.

DO AHEAD: Onion can be pickled

5 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Pressure’s On

When 5:15 p.m. hits and there’s still no dinner plan, Deb Perelman

harnesses the power of her beloved Instant Pot

LOOK, I HOPE THIS DOESN’T shatter any domestic-diva-type

expectations you have of the people writing for your favorite food

magazine, but the number of nights that dinnertime approaches and

I have absolutely no idea what we’re going to eat and have done no

grocery shopping is: a lot of them.

In the interest of avoiding the inevitable meltdown that would ensue

when my ravenous kids stumble in only to find dinner isn’t ready yet,

I often rely on a few types of dried grains and beans in the pantry and

the electric pressure cooker magic known as an Instant Pot. It can turn

a staple like a bag of inexpensive red beans into a hearty flavorful

soup in about 45 minutes —with absolutely no presoaking. A quick

sauté of onion, garlic, and spices makes an aromatic base that seasons

the whole pot, while quinoa adds bulk and texture.

What do I do while dinner is off cooking itself? In a dream world I’d

probably do as little as possible, relishing it, ideally with a glass of

wine. In reality I’m helping with homework, managing some other

last-minute chaos, or making the kinds of toppings that get the kids

(and the adults) much more excited about a bowl of beans and quinoa.

We call these taco fixins: corn tortilla strips baked into crispy chips,

quick-pickled red onion, sliced avocado, cilantro, crumbled cheese,

limes, and some hot sauce for the grown-ups. Everyone heaps their

bowls with whatever they like. Nothing delights me more than when

the reward for having no dinner plan is a delicious meal that came

together without a minute of planning.

Home – Picky Eaters’ Club

FOOD STYLING BY M

ICHELLE GATTON. ILLUSTRATIONS BY SUPER FREAK.