Black-Bean Soup with Avocado Salsa |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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Black beans, often served in a soup or stew, have been a mainstay of Mexican cuisine for thousands of years. Black-bean soup is also popular in the Caribbean, where rum, sherry, or peppered wine is often added toward the end of cooking. We add the sherry somewhat earlier in this version, which combines elements of both traditions. Ingredients:
6 cups drained and rinsed canned black beans (three 19-ounce cans) |
4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock |
2 tablespoons cooking oil |
1 onion, chopped |
1 1/2 teaspoons salt |
1/2 cup dry sherry |
1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper |
2 avocados, preferably hass, cut into 1/2-inch dice |
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley |
6 radishes, halved and sliced thin |
2 tablespoons lime juice |
Directions:
1. Combine 3 cups of the beans and 1 cup of chicken broth in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat, add the sherry, and boil until reduced to approximately 1/4 cup, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the bean puree, 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper, and the remaining 3 cups of chicken broth and 3 cups of beans. Simmer until hot, about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the avocados, cilantro, radishes, lime juice, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Mix gently. Spoon the soup into bowls and top with the salsa.
5. Wine Recommendation: Don't forget about sherries when considering wines for the table. They work particularly well with soups, especially when sherry is an ingredient already. With this black-bean soup, a dry amontillado is a natural.
6. Notes: If the radishes aren't perfectly crisp, soak them in a bowl of ice water. A few minutes of shock may be just enough to revive them.
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