- The Valkyrie Brunhilde, from Arthur Rackham’s illustrations for The Valkyries (1910
Late July and early August bring the hottest, muggiest weeks of the year to Central Kentucky. The air feels swampy, and the heavy heat leads to lethergy.
This simple, cold soup is an easy evening meal when it’s too hot even to turn on the stove.
Ingredients
1 quart of tomato juice
2 15 ounce cans of black beans
4 finely chopped garlic cloves
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
Juice of two limes (about 1/4 cup)
2 peeled, seeded, and finely chopped cucumbers
2 finely chopped medium-sized onions
Procedure
Drain and rinse the black beans, and place them in a large bowl. Add all the other ingredients and season to taste, with salt, pepper, and maybe a little ground chipotle. Chill well before serving.
Garnish with sour cream, fresh parsley, fresh cilantro, croutons, or thin slices of cucumber.
