Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      cup           rice beans
                        (or other very small white beans)
   1                    onion -- halved, stuck with
   2                    garlic cloves
   1                    bay leaf
   2      teaspoons     salt
   2      tablespoons   olive oil
   1      medium        onion -- diced
     1/2  teaspoon      freshly-ground black pepper
   3                    garlic cloves -- minced or pureed
  12                    jalapeno chiles -- seeded and minced
   2      cups          corn kernels -- from about 6 ears
   2      quarts        vegetable stock -- see * note
                        (or use chicken stock or water)
   2                    chayote squash -- diced
   2                    roasted red bell peppers -- peeled, seeded,
                        -- and diced
     1/2  pound         lump crabmeat -- picked over
     1/2  cup           crema -- see * note
                        (or creme fraiche or sour cream)
                        minced chives -- for garnish

Preparation:

* Note: See the "Vegetable Stock" and "Crema" recipes which are included in this collection. Soak rice beans in cold water 8 hours or overnight. Drain, rinse and drain again. Place soaked beans in a medium heavy pot with enough cold water to cover by an inch. Add cloved onion halves and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer very gently 30 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt, and cold water to just cover the beans if necessary. Cook an additional 20 to 30 minutes until beans are creamy inside but still intact. Remove onion and bay leaf and reserve. Heat olive oil in large kettle over high heat. When smoking, add diced onions, 1 teaspoon salt, and freshly-ground pepper. Stir and cook 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and chiles and cook one minute to release their aroma. Add corn kernels, stock or water, chayote, and rice beans with the cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in peppers, crab, and Crema and warm through. Serve garnished with minced chives.