• In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, let sizzle for a moment, then lower the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the cumin and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute. Add the bay leaf, chiles, tomatoes, chicken stock, and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fill a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan with 2 inches of vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat to 365oF or until bubbles form and begin to float up around the handle of a wooden spoon when dipped into the oil. Working in batches, fry the tortilla strips until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season to taste with salt.
• Using an immersion blender or in batches in a blender, carefully puree the hot soup until smooth. Season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper. Transfer the soup to bowls, garnish with a spoonful of sour cream and avocado, a sprinkle of marjoram, and a handful of tortilla strips.

• Soak the beans overnight in cold water. Drain them and put them into a large, heavy pot. Add 1⁄2 cup olive oil, the peeled intact onion half, the celery stalk, bay leaf, and 10 cups cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are very tender, about 2 1⁄2 hours. Season with salt to taste. Remove and discard the onion, bay leaf, and celery.
• In a heavy, 5-quart saucepan, heat the remaining 1⁄2 cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the minced onion, minced celery, and carrot, stirring briefly. Let the vegetables sizzle for a moment in the oil, then lower the heat to medium-low or low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and are slightly translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary, and red pepper flakes to the pot, stir well, and let cook for a minute or so. Stir in the tomato paste, then add the beans and the bean cooking liquid to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, and then lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Remove 2 cups of beans from the pot and puree them with 1 1⁄2 cups water in a blender until smooth. Stir the pureed beans back into the pot and return to a boil. Stir the pasta into the pot and lower the heat to simmer, stirring often. Cook until the pasta is tender yet still retains a slight firmness in the center, about 20 minutes. Stir in the fennel and 1⁄2 cup cold water. Season generously, to taste, with salt and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
• Drizzle with Pequin Chile Oil or an extremely good, grassy extra-virgin olive oil, and serve.

PEQUIN CHILE OIL

• In a small saucepan, heat 1⁄2 cup of olive oil over medium-low heat until hot to the touch, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from the heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons of pequin chile flakes or other hot red pepper flakes and let them steep for at least 30 minutes. Cool the chile oil, and then transfer it to a covered container. Stir well before using to ensure chile flakes are suspended in each spoonful of oil. You can store the oil, refrigerated, for up to 1 month.

• Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in an oven-safe sauté pan over medium-high heat and cook the lamb in single-layer batches, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes total, adding a tablespoon of oil between batches if needed. Remove the lamb and reserve.
• Preheat the oven to 350oF. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and stir in the onions and garlic. Let sizzle for a minute, then lower the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 15 minutes. Add the cumin, turmeric, ginger, cayenne, and tomato paste to the pot and stir to combine. Add the lamb along with the wine, 5 cups of water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, then cover and transfer to the oven for 1 hour. Add the pumpkin, cinnamon stick, and carrots, cover the pot, and return to the oven until the meat easily releases when pierced with a skewer or small knife, another 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours. Remove the bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with pomegranate seeds and cilantro, and serve.

• Cut the kernels off of the cobs. Reserve the kernels and 3 of the cobs.
• In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring, until soft but not browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add the reserved kernels and cobs, 4 cups water, the bay leaf, and 1-1/4 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the cobs and bay leaf.
• Add the ice and stir until melted. Working in batches, blend the soup, adding water as needed, until completely smooth and creamy with great body but not too thick. To achieve the silkiest texture, use a powerful blender or pass the soup through a fine-mesh sieve after blending. Season to taste with salt. Cover and chill the soup for at least 3 hours.
• To serve, ladle the soup into chilled bowls and garnish with spoonfuls of the red pepper puree.

• Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the peppers and shallot. Let sizzle for 1 minute, then cover the pan, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup water and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar.
• Carefully blend the pepper mixture until completely smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any pepper skin. Pour into a wide, shallow container and chill, covered, for 2 hours before using.