It doesn’t make a lot of sense to make just enough soup for one serving, especially when the soup is based on long-cooking beans. But that doesn’t mean solo cooks have to go without their soup fix. This base uses two of my favorite ingredients, black beans and ancho chiles, to provide the backdrop for Black Bean Tortilla Soup with Shrimp (on page 53) and Black Bean Soup with Seared Scallops and Green Salsa (page 54). But that’s not your only option. Once the base is made, you could also add shrimp, chicken, corn, potatoes, crushed tortilla chips, leftover rice, and/or other salsas, in whatever combination calls out to you.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 to 5 cups

　　2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded (may substitute guajillo or New Mexico chiles)

　　1/2 pound dried black beans (1 heaping cup)

　　2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

　　1 celery stalk, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

　　2 shallot lobes or 1/2 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

　　1 plump clove garlic, chopped

　　Pinch of ground cinnamon

　　Pinch of ground allspice

　　1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, plus more as needed

　　

Step 1

Tear, break, or use scissors to cut the anchos into small strips or pieces. Combine them with the beans in a large bowl and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Let soak for at least 6 hours or overnight.

　　

Step 2

Pour the oil into a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the carrot, celery, shallots, garlic, cinnamon, and allspice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook the vegetables slowly until they start to become tender, about 10 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Add the beans, chiles, their soaking liquid, and enough water to cover the beans by 1 inch. Increase the heat to high to bring the contents to a boil. Then decrease the heat to low so that the liquid is at a bare simmer.

　　

Step 4

Cover and gently cook until the beans are very tender, 1 to 2 hours, depending on the age of the beans. Add the salt, cook for a few more minutes, then let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

　　

Step 5

Use a handheld immersion blender to puree the soup, then taste and adjust the salt if needed. (Alternatively, you can puree it in a blender or food processor. If you are using a blender, be sure to remove the center cap on the lid and cover with a dish towel to let steam escape, and work in small batches to avoid splattering the soup.)

　　

Step 6

Divide it into 4 portions and use immediately, refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze in small containers or heavy-duty freezer-safe resealable plastic bags, pressing as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing. It will keep frozen for several months.

　　Reprinted with permission from Serve Yourself: Nightly Adventures in Cooking for One by Joe Yonan. Text copyright © 2011 by Joe Yonan; photographs copyright © 2011 by Ed Anderson. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.Joe Yonan is the food and travel editor at the Washington Post, where he writes the award-winning "Cooking for One" column. Joe's work also earned the Post the 2009 and 2010 James Beard Foundation's award for best food section. He is the former travel editor at the Boston Globe. Visit www.joeyonan.com.