Blending beef and beans

By BILL DALEY
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
A search for the simplest chicken soup recipe led me to an old and, unfortunately, long-ignored cookbook on my shelf, "Truly Unusual Soups," by Lu Lockwood. That's where I rediscovered this recipe for a chili-like soup.
Looking down at the splattered page brought me back to when I was 23 and just starting out in newspapers covering the small but tony Connecticut town where Lockwood managed a popular restaurant. "Truly Unusual Soups" was loaded with quick recipes, of which hummingbird bean soup was the best. (I have no idea why it is called "hummingbird bean soup." Maybe Lockwood, a born marketing whiz, thought "kidney bean soup" didn't sound fabulous enough.)
MENU
Green salad
Hummingbird bean soup
Corn bread
Flan
TIPS
Canned beef broth works fine here; just adjust the salt level when seasoning.
Drain the rendered fat from the browned ground beef, if you like; the taste of the soup won't be harmed.
HUMMINGBIRD BEAN SOUP
This recipe was adapted from Lu Lockwood's "Truly Unusual Soups." Try this with other toppings such as sliced green onions or chopped cilantro.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
11/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) beef broth
1 can (15 ounces) red kidney beans, drained
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat; cook ground beef, stirring occasionally, until brown, about 5 minutes. Drain fat, if you like. Add chili powder, allspice and black pepper; cook, stirring, 1 minute.
Add broth and half of the kidney beans to the saucepan; heat to a boil over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, puree the remaining beans in a blender or food processor; stir into the soup. Heat to a boil; reduce heat to simmer. Simmer 20 minutes. Garnish with shredded cheese.
Yield: 3 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 489 calories, 51 percent of calories from fat, 27 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 98 mg cholesterol, 23 g carbohydrates, 36 g protein, 1,537 mg sodium, 9 g fiber.