Recipe For Meaty Cuban Black Bean Soup

CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, cover the beans with water, covering them by 2 inches. Add bay leaf, cumin, oregano, and Italian pepper. Simmer until the beans are tender, about 45 minutes.
• After 45 minutes, remove the pepper.
• In a saute pan, saute onions, red, and green peppers until translucent. Puree in a blender, this is the sofrito.
• In the same pan, saute the garlic. Add to the beans, along with the sofrito, 1/4-cup olive oil, sugar, and vinegar. Season with salt and continue to cook until very thick, about 45 minutes. Garnish with finely chopped red onion.

CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Remove any debris from the beans, then rinse and soak them overnight in cold water, refrigerated. Drain any remaining water after the soaking, before adding the beans to the soup pot.
• In a large soup pot with a heavy bottom, heat the olive oil. Add the ham hock to the oil and begin to brown. Add the onions, peppers, celery, chili, and cumin, and cook over medium heat until the vegetables wilt. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring to make sure you don't burn the tomato or garlic. Add the water and bring to a boil.
• Add the cleaned and soaked black beans, return to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Remove the ham hock from the pot, let cool enough to handle, then strip the meat from the bone. Chop the meat coarsely and add back to the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the sherry and cook 2 minutes more. Ladle into bowls and garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream and a sprinkling of scallions or chives.

CONTEST-WINNING BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mash 1 can black beans; set aside. In a large saucepan, saute the celery, onion, red pepper and jalapeno in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. , Stir in the broth, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, hot sauce, pepper, bay leaf, mashed black beans and remaining whole beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. , Discard bay leaf. Stir in lime juice. Garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 1-1/2 teaspoons green onion.

CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In 4-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Cook 1 cup chopped onion and the garlic in oil 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender.
• Stir in remaining ingredients except eggs and additional chopped onions; heat to boiling. Boil 2 minutes; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 2 hours or until beans are tender.
• Serve soup topped with eggs and onions.

CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray, saute the celery, onion, garlic and jalapeno in oil until onion is tender. Stir in the beans, broth, water, seasonings and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Cool slightly., In a blender, process soup in batches until smooth. Return to the pan; heat through. Garnish each serving with tomatoes, sour cream and cilantro.

SMOKEY VEGETARIAN CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Place black beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight. Drain beans and rinse with fresh water.
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat; cook and stir yellow onion, paprika, and cumin seeds until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add red bell pepper, green bell pepper, garlic, oregano, and bay leaves; cook and stir until onion is translucent and bell peppers are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Mix vegetable stock, black beans, tempeh, rum, and jalapeno pepper into onion mixture. Increase heat to medium-high, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until beans are tender, about 45 minutes.
• Pour water into bean mixture; season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beans begin to fall apart and soup thickens, 30 to 40 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Remove and discard bay leaves from soup.
• Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with hard-boiled eggs and red onion.

HEARTY CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Place beans in a heavy pot. Add enough cold water to cover beans by 2". Bring to a boil; remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Drain beans; return to same pot. Add 8 cups cold water. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium, ans simmer until beans are tender, adding more water by cupfuls as needed to cover beans, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Drain beans.
• Heat same pot over medium heat. Add chorizo and bacon and cook until chorizo is brown and bacon is crisp, stirring frequently and breaking up chorizo with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Add onion and next 4 ingredients. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring frequently about 5 minutes. Add 4 cups broth, tomatoes with juice, and beans. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 20 minutes for flavors to blend. Cool slightly.
• Working batches, coarsely puree soup in processor using on/off turns. Return puree to pot, adding more broth as needed for desired consistency. Can be made ahead to this point. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.
• Bring soup to boil. Add sherry; reduce heat to medium and simmer 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Place large spoonful salsa in each of 6 large bowls. Ladle soup over salsa. Serve, passing additional salsa, chopped cilantro, sour cream, guacamole, and chili powder alongside.

CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Place bay leaves and beans in a Dutch oven.
• Add 12 cups water to pan; bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat, and simmer 2 1/2 hours or until tender, stirring occasionally.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add bell pepper, chopped onion, and shallots to pan; cook 10 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring frequently.
• Stir in cumin, dried oregano, and fresh oregano; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes.
• Place vegetable mixture in a blender; add remaining 1/2 cup water; puree until smooth.
• Add vegetable mixture, sugar, and salt to beans; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Discard bay leaves.
• Combine avocado and juice; toss gently.
• Ladle 3/4 cup bean mixture into each of 10 bowls; top each serving with about 3 tablespoons avocado mixture, about 3 tablespoons red onion, 2 tablespoons ham, about 1 1/2 tablespoons cilantro, about 1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream, 1 teaspoon pumpkinseed kernels, and about 1/2 teaspoon jalapeño pepper.
• Serve with lime wedges, if desired.