Q: With the weather being so chilly I thought about making some soups for some of my dinners. One in particular that I am interested in is white chicken chili.

– Angel H., Bristol, Va.

A: White chicken chili is very popular when we serve it at school. I am also giving you a great black bean soup recipe.

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
2 cups diced onions
2 cups diced celery
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 pound chicken breast, cooked and diced
8 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 (7-ounce) can chopped green chilies
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/3 of a 7-ounce can chipotle in adobo, chopped
4 tablespoons chicken base (sold in grocery stores in the soup aisle)
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 pounds white beans, soaked overnight or 4 cans-drained
1/2 cup heavy cream
16 ounces sour cream

Saute onion, celery and garlic in oil until tender, about 5 minutes. In a large stockpot add chicken, water, bay leaf, chiles, oregano, cumin, dry mustard, basil, Cajun seasoning, chipotle, chicken base and pickled jalapeno, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Add the drained beans and heavy cream, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the beans are tender. Garnish soup with sour cream.

BLACK BEAN SOUP
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 sprig fresh bay leaves or 1 large dried bay leaf
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 ribs celery with greens, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 (15-ounce) cans black beans
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander
Salt and pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons hot sauce, divided
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
2 to 3 scallions, chopped

Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to hot pot then bay leaves, jalapeno, garlic, celery and onions.

Cook 3 to 4 minutes, then add red peppers and continue to cook.

Drain 2 cans of beans and add them. With remaining can, pour the juice and half the beans into the pot. Use a fork to mash up the beans remaining in the can. Stir the mashed beans into the pot, and season with cumin, coriander, salt and pepper, and 2 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce.

Add stock and tomatoes to the stoup and bring to a bubble. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes over low heat.

In a small bowl, mix together sour cream and scallions and reserve for topping the stoup. Ladle up black bean soup and top with sour cream mixture.

Q: Why do most of the cucumbers that I buy in the store have a waxy feel to them?

– Sam S., Bristol, Tenn.

A: The reason for this is that most producers of cucumbers and some squash coat the vegetables with wax to protect them from freezing.

Cucumbers, for example, will freeze very quickly if the temperature gets to cold in the refrigerator. The best thing to do is to wash them really good and leave the skin on.

The waxy coating is food-grade wax and can be eaten. If you peel the skin off, you will lose a lot of the nutrients. In some vegetables, the nutrients are located mainly in the skins of the vegetable.

Q: I would like to make shrimp Newburg but I can’t find a recipe that I like. Do you have one?

– Brenda, Bristol, Va.

A: I love shrimp Newburg. Here is one that I like. Don’t forget that you can add any type of seafood that you like. But do not overcook the seafood.

SHRIMP NEWBURG
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch cayenne
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry sherry
4 cups water
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Serving suggestion: steamed long-grain white rice

To make the Newburg sauce, combine the flour, paprika, curry powder, nutmeg, cayenne and salt, to taste, in a small bowl and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the shallot, and cook for 3 minutes until it begins to brown.

While the shallot is cooking, bring the milk and tomato paste to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat; be careful not to let it boil over.

Add the flour mixture to the browned shallot, and stir until mixed well with the butter. Add the sherry, and whisk until smooth. Add the hot milk mixture to the flour mixture slowly, whisking constantly until the mix is creamy and thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

Put the water, salt, bay leaves and peppercorns in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp, and boil for 3 minutes. Remove immediately and set aside.

Add the cooked shrimp to the Newburg sauce, and bring to a simmer over low heat.

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