Black Bean Soup

I don’t always do what I’m told, but Jerry, a reader of this blog, asked me for a black bean soup recipe.  This was just the sort of directive that is more like play than work, so here it is!  Thanks Jerry.

This recipe is adapted from Deborah Madison’s wonderful book Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.  It couldn’t be easier, especially if you own an immersion blender.  An immersion blender is a blender on a stick.  Rather than transport soup to your food processor or blender and back, you simply put the immersion blender in the pot and pulse it until you are happy with the texture of whatever it is you are subjecting to little sharp blades at the working end of this handy machine.

But back to soup.

In advance:

• Sort, wash and soak 1 1/2 cups of Black Beans.  See earlier entries starting with Meet the Beans

Cook's tools you will need:

• A heavy soup pot or the closest thing you have
• Measuring equipment
• Knife and chopping surface
• Immersion blender, regular blender or food processor (or, if you have neither and are really determined, you could manually mash some of your soup when we get to this part)

Prepare and portion other ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons of butter or vegetable oil
• 1 cup of finely chopped onions
• 1/3 cup of diced celery
• 1/3 cup of diced carrot
• 1 cup of diced green bell pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh Rosemary
• 1 teaspoon of dried Thyme
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• Salt (Kosher if you have it)

 Let's go!

• Drain the beans. Set aside.
• Melt butter or heat oil in soup pot and then add the vegetables and herbs.
• Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until lightly colored.
• Stir in the tomato paste and cook for one more minute (be sure to distribute it as much as possible)
• Add the beans and 2  1/2 quarts of water (10 cups)
• Bring all to a boil then lower heat and simmer partially covered for 1 hour
• After an hour add 2 teaspoons of salt and continue cooking until your beans are tender (15- 30 more minutes)
• Remove bay leaves and by using either your emersion blender or other device, blend until about 2/3 of the beans are pureed (like baby food).  If you used a blender or food processor, return soup to the pot and have a taste.

Decision time!

Deborah Madison finishes this recipe by adding 1/2 cup of Madeira (a fortified wine that is a cross between sherry and port) and 1/2 cup of cream, along with some chopped parsley.  This was very nice, but a little rich for my taste.

Other Options to finish soup:

I like a spoonful of yogurt and some chopped cilantro.  Crème fraiche would also be nice.

Then there is always the classic addition to black bean chili- some grated muenster and onions.  Chopped parsley too (something green and fresh is important).

For you soup virgins, this may sound complicated, but really, it’s quite easy.  Again, just imagine the steps, prep your ingredients ahead of time and give it a go!  It’s chilly and rainy here in Brooklyn, just the sort of weather for some nice soup.  Bon Appetite!