Sorry for the poor image quality, I lost my camera and took these with my cell.
Just like Grandma used to make. Wait, grandma never made black bean soup. Um, just like someone’s grandma used to make. Adapted from www.SmittenKitchen.com
Yield: 4 small cups of soup (appetizer sized). Easily doubled for entrees.
- 2Tbsp oil for sauteeing
- 1 small green pepper, chopped
- 1 small red pepper, chopped
- 2 large shallots, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2tsp cumin
- 1tsp kosher salt
- .5tsp ground black pepper
- 8oz by weight dry black beans
- 4cups good quality, low sodium stock (I used vegetable)
- juice of 1 lime
- hot sauce to taste
- sour cream or crema
- fresh cilantro finely chopped as garnish.
Heat a dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl around. Add the shallots and peppers. Sautee until the color of the red peppers change to orange, about 6 minutes. Meanwhile, pulverize the garlic with a mortar and pestal and add the salt as an abrasive. Add the garlic, pepper and cumin and cook for an additional 1-3 minutes, until the it gets fragrant. Add the stock and beans. Cover and turn heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 1.5hrs. Uncover and cook on medium until beans are tender and desired consistency has been achieved. Add juice and hot sauce. If desired, remove 1cup soup and puree in food processor then return to pot. Serve with sour cream or crema and fresh cilantro.
