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Black Bean Soup
with Lime-Sour Cream Garnish
Black beans have come to be associated with Latin
dishes, and this soup is no exception. A rich, dark
soup, redolent of cumin and chili and chunky with
beans and vegetables, this was a favorite of our
taste-testers -- particularly since the temperature
outside was –7°F the day we served it! The cooling
lime garnish really sets off the smooth (but spicy)
flavor of the soup.
Soup
1 pound package (2 cups) dried black beans
3 quarts water
1 ham bone OR ham or vegetable bouillon cubes
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups (11 1/4 ounces) onion, diced (2 medium
onions)
1 cup (4 1/2 ounces) celery, diced (3 to 4 stalks)
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) red pepper, diced (1 medium
pepper)
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) green pepper, diced (1 medium
pepper)
1 1/2 cups prepared salsa (16-ounce jar, use mild,
medium or hot, your choice)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 cup (10 ounces) diced ham
Garnish
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon lime zest 3 tomatilloes (2 1/2 to 3
ounces), peeled, finely diced and drained*
3 tablespoons dried minced onions
1/8 teaspoon salt
*You should be able to find these in the produce
section of your supermarket. If you can't find them,
just leave them out.
Soup: Wash the beans according to the directions on
the package. Put them into a large pot and cover
them with the 3 quarts of water. Bring the mixture
to a boil, then remove the pot from the heat and set
it aside for 1 hour. After 1 hour, add the ham bone
and bay leaf. (If you're using the bouillon cubes,
don't add them till directed below. Salt -- a main
ingredient in bouillon -- added too soon during
cooking toughens the skin on the beans.)
Bring the soup to a slow simmer over medium heat,
and simmer it for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the beans
are tender. Remove the ham bone, if you used it.
Remove about 2 cups of the beans, and either mash or
blend them into a paste. Return the mashed beans to
the pot, and continue to simmer, uncovered, until
the soup has thickened.
While the soup is simmering, saute the diced
vegetables in the oil until the onions are
translucent. Add the sauteed vegetables, salsa,
garlic, seasonings, bouillon cubes (if you're using
them) and the diced ham to the soup, and bring it to
a boil. It'll be quite thick; add a small amount of
water if needed to thin slightly. Simmer the soup
for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Garnish: While the soup is simmering, prepare the
garnish. Mix the sour cream, lime juice, lime zest,
tomatilloes, minced onions and salt together. The
mixture will be quite runny due to the liquid
remaining in the tomatilloes, but will thicken after
sitting for an hour or so. Refrigerate until ready
to serve.
Ladle the soup into bowls, and top it with a dollop
of garnish. Yield: about 12 servings
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