Black Bean Soup

Not sure what inspired this request but David says “let’s make some black bean soup.”  Oh yes, “let’s”.  In our house, "let's" is a code word which is intended to be replaced with "you."  For example, "let's clean out the toy closet" or "let's plant flowers."  And then when the "let's" task does not get accomplished, who is to blame?

As we were finishing, David suggested “next time let's cook our own beans rather than using canned.”  He may be on his own there.  We found this recipe, made a few of the recommended adjustments and it is pretty good.  The boys even liked it (Elizabeth doesn’t get to vote if she doesn’t try a bite.  I love her though.). 

Ingredients

Black Bean Soup

1.      6-8 slices bacon, finely chopped 

2.      2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 cups)

3.      6 garlic cloves, pressed

4.      2-3 (14 1/2-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth

5.      1 1/2 cups canned chopped tomatoes (or try Rotel)

6.      2 tablespoons ketchup

7.      2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

8.      1 tablespoon chili powder

9.      5-6 (15 1/2-ounce) cans black beans, drained but not rinsed

10.  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

11.  Cilantro, to taste

12.  Juice of 1/2 lime

13.  For garnish and optional, grated cheddar, thinly sliced scallions and sour cream

Put the bacon into a large heavy pot and place it over medium heat. Cook until it starts to give up its fat, about 4 minutes. Drain all but about 2 T of bacon grease.  Stir in the onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until you can smell it, about 1 minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire, and chili powder. Stir in the beans, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the soup is bubbling gently and cook 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

While simmering the soup, remove the thick stems from the cilantro. Wash it and shake dry. Chop the cilantro coarsely and stir it into the soup after it has simmered 10 minutes. Continue cooking until the soup is thickened, about 5 more minutes. Stir in the lime juice. Serve with the garnishes.

Serves 8-10.  When we made it, we halved the recipe.  The quantity variation for the chicken broth and cans of beans is based on your preference of hearty vs. soupy.