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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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This is one of my mother's recipes and call me biased, but it's the best around. This is a vegetarian black bean soup, and one of the keys to its success is the quality of the olive oil: use the very best you can find. You can make the soup a day in advance and it will taste even better the next day. This is a no-fail recipe that I know you're going to enjoy. Ingredients:
1 pound dried black beans |
3 quarts water |
2 bay leaves |
1 cup extra virgin olive oil |
2 large red bell peppers, seeded and chopped |
2 shallots, chopped |
2 onions, chopped |
8 cloves garlic, chopped |
1 tablespoon ground cumin |
2 tablespoons dried oregano |
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves |
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar |
2 tablespoons salt |
1 red onion, diced, for garnish |
8 ounces sour cream, for garnish (optional) |
Directions:
1. Place the beans in a nonreactive pan. Cover with the 3 quarts of water, add the bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the beans for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring frequently and adding more water if necessary to keep them well covered.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan or skillet. Sauté the bell peppers, shallots, and onions over medium heat until the onions are translucent, about 15 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, cumin, dried and fresh oregano, and sauté for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Transfer to a blender and purée until smooth.
4. When the beans are almost tender, add the puréed mixture, sugar, and salt to the beans and cook until just tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Adjust the seasonings, garnish with the red onion and sour cream, and serve.
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