Tomato Bean Soup, or Obstinacy is the Mother of Invention

Suzanne came down on Saturday, being able to confirm only on Friday that she would be free to visit. Having done my grocery shopping in DC on Thursday (Wagshal's halibut & salmon, mmmm), I determined to cook on the basis of available ingredients. We did respectably Saturday night, but by Sunday the cupboard was looking bare. The pantry contained canelli beans, canned tomato and soba noodles, and the frig merely a few spring onions and cilantro. The garden is being overtaken by mint. Hence the following meal:

• Canelli beans cooked in vegetable stock, then added to a stew of sauteed onion, tomato, black pepper, basil and thyme, topped with cilantro, and
• soba noodles with canola oil/rice vinegar/salt vinagrette, plus roasted sesame seeds, spring onions and mint.

No complaints!