Spicy pinto bean soup or Plaids Bethan Jenkins, ...

... that's a question indeed, a delicious deep bowl of soup or shallow plate of politics from the "separatist agenda", make up your own mind ...

For the soup you need ...

Ingredients, for 4 ...

100g dried pinto beans,  2 tbsp butter,  1 tbsp olive oil,  1 red onion, chopped,  2 garlic cloves, chopped,  1 red pepper, de-seeded and diced,  2 carrots, chopped,  2 tsp chilli powder,  2 tsp ground cumin,  2 bay leaves,  1.5 litres vegetable stock,  400g tin of chopped tomatoes,  Sea salt,  1 small iceberg lettuce finely shredded,  Soured cream,  Leaves from a small bunch of fresh coriander,  Lime wedges

Method ...

1 Soak the beans in cold water overnight. Drain and set aside.
2 Heat the butter and oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan, set over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper, carrots and a pinch of salt.
3 Cook for 10 minutes, until softened. Stir in the chilli powder, cumin and bay leaves. Cook for 1 minute, until aromatic.
4 Increase the heat to high. Add the stock, tomatoes and beans and bring to the boil. Reduce to a medium simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, until the beans are tender.
5 Serve topped with shredded lettuce, a dollop of soured cream and a few coriander leaves. Offer lime wedges on the side. 

Recipe by Ross Dobson of The Times, what a fine newspaper.

Having enjoyed the bowl of soup what has Jenkins got to offer, either the electorate or Plaid "the separatist agenda" Cymru ?

Her history is school and Plaid Cymru, so we can expect an introspective view of the world coupled with a vision of an independent left wing utopia, was it learned at the hearth of her father the long-term co–editor of Red Poets.I wonder ?

Today she opens a discussion regarding the Plaid leadership contest, a faction within Plaid would like to change the rules so that non-elected members might race for the coveted leaders badge, a little like the blue-peter badge without the excitement, and in a democracy it should be possible to elect anyone to the position of party leader, though why any party would want a leader that doesn't have a platform is puzzling.

Interesting though, some elected members of the Assembly see the next leader as a caretaker-in-waiting for the return of the native Adam Price, Plaid AM Lindsay Whittle is on record as writing "Whoever will be our new leader must now recognise it’s an interim post in my opinion."

So the contest hereabouts between the soup or Jenkins, do I see the beginnings of a double chin in her image, is won hands down by ....

... the "Spicy Pinto Bean Soup", considered to be interesting and flavoursome with a hint of things yet to come ...
... the runner up is same-old, same-old Plaid politics delivered by 2nd division politics ...