A cozy soup from Carla Lalli Music

Plus, her case for why cooking for one isn't a bummer

Carla Lalli Music doesn’t shy away from a head of celery. Even one that’s been lingering in the crisper for weeks. “Celery’s amazing,” she pronounced when we chatted for this week’s episode of The Dinner Plan. Upon arriving home from an international trip, Carla found a bunch still kicking in the fridge, and tossed it with black vinegar, chili crisp, and salt to make a giant salad. (She also uses the stuff in Brandon Jiu’s glass noodle recipe, linked below.)

In addition to working on a new cookbook project, these days, the author of That Sounds So Good and Where Cooking Begins develops new recipes for her newsletter,

Food Processing

, and hosts a podcast about kitchen calamities called The Worst Day of Your Life…So Far.

“They’re funny stories, everybody has one, and I think that it’s important to remind ourselves that things going wrong is like a very important and integral part of the process of making things right,” Carla says.

On this episode of The Dinner Plan, Carla shares one of her own recent kitchen disasters, and talks about the delight she’s finding in cooking for one these days—plus practical advice for anyone finding themselves in the same situation. Carla also offers an inspiring list of go-to dinner recipes, a bunch of ideas for dressing up a rotisserie chicken, and tips on how to keep track of what’s in your freezer.

Need a dinner that feels cozy this week? (Or something to stash away for a night when time is tight?) Scroll alllll the way down in this newsletter for Carla’s black bean soup with so many toppings.

Win a copy of That Sounds So Good

Get Carla’s carefully-tested recipes for big salads, quick stovetop suppers, and dinner-party-worthy feasts in this cookbook. To enter to win your own copy, make sure you’re subscribed to The Dinner Plan newsletter and simply leave a comment on this send by Friday, January 24th. Winner will be alerted by DM and email—be sure to check your messages!

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Carla mentioned:

Carla’s turkey chili on BA
Carla’s new and improved pasta fagioli video, new and improved recipe, and here’s the earlier version from Where Cooking Begins on BA
Gochujang Broiled Salmon Bowl video and recipe
Kenji López-Alt’s Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Nutritional Yeast and Sesame Vinaigrette
Brandon Jiu’s Mouthwatering Turkey with Glass Noodles (but could be rotisserie chicken!)
No-Cook Cookbook by Susie Theodorou (especially the salsa verde with rotisserie chicken and kale)
Korean Home Cooking by Sohui Kim
Sweet Tooth by Sarah Fennel of Broma Bakery
The Authentic Pasta Book by Fred Plotkin
Pasta with Melted Cauliflower Sauce (can sub broccoli) from That Sounds So Good, video here

Maggie mentioned:

Bar Goto’s Kombu Celery (BA)

If you make a purchase through the links in this newsletter, I may earn a commission, which helps to fund this project and the podcast.

Photo: Andrea Gentl and Martin Hyers

Black Bean Soup with Topper Whoppers

Reprinted from That Sounds So Good by Carla Lalli Music. Copyright © 2021 by Carla Lalli Music. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

8 servings

There is no need to soak the black beans for this recipe; the fact that they take a while to go from dried to creamy is part of their impact. The flavor the beans contribute as they simmer is a major element of the soup, and while they cook, you’ll have time to pull together the “topper whoppers”—chips, avocado, sour cream, and other finishers.

Spin It:

• Guajillo or ancho chiles can replace costeño, and chiles de árbol or chipotles can replace taviches

• Jalapeño (less spicy) or habanero (more spicy) could replace the serrano

• Pinto beans, ayocote negro beans, or scarlet runners can replace the black beans

• Any dried oregano can be used

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon can replace the cinnamon stick

2 dried costeño chiles (see Spin It above for substitutes)
2 dried taviche (tabiche) chiles
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1 pound dried black beans
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
Freshly ground pepper
2 large yellow onions
1 serrano chile
¼ cup neutral oil, such as sunflower
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 tablespoons Mexican oregano, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
Corn chips, sour cream, avocado, lime wedges, crumbled queso fresco, and/or cilantro, for serving (optional)

1. Discard the stems from the dried chiles and drop the costeño, taviche, and chipotle chiles into a blender jar. Add 2 cups hot water; let soak 25 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, pick over beans, then rinse. Put the beans in a large (6- to 8-quart) pot and cover with 4 quarts cold water. Bring to a simmer over high heat, skimming any foam that rises to surface. Season with 1 tablespoon salt and some pepper. Lower the heat to a simmer.

3. Finely chop onions and serrano (remove serrano ribs and seeds to reduce spiciness, if desired). In a medium cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the onions and serrano and season generously with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions go from being translucent and juicy to very soft and richly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Lightly crush the coriander seeds. Add the coriander, oregano, and cumin to the onions. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute more to bloom the spices. Add a couple ladlefuls of bean liquid to the onions and cook, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon to loosen up any bits, then pour onion mixture into the beans.

4. Puree chile mixture until smooth. Pour puree into bean mixture, then add the bay leaves and cinnamon. Partially cover the pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender but not quite cooked through, 2 to 2½ hours (or longer, depending on beans). Taste and season with salt, if needed. Simmer gently until the beans are completely soft, 15 to 30 minutes more. Remove the bay and cinnamon.

5. Puree the soup with a handheld or regular blender, or with a food mill, if desired. Serve topped with corn chips, sour cream, avocado, lime wedges, queso fresco, and/or cilantro, along with oregano, if desired.