Black Bean Soup Recipe

How to make it

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• Soak the beans overnight or do a quick soak by placing the dried beans in a medium sauce pan with enough water to cover twice over. Add a pinch of baking soda and bring to a boil and let boil for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit, covered for 2 hours.
• Drain the beans and rinse very well. Then place beans back in the saucepan.
• Add 3 cups water and bay leaf.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and let cook 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until beans are tender. Check the water level occasionally, adding more as necessary.
• Remove bay leaf. Drain the beans.
• In a medium sauce pan, over medium-high heat, sauté onion, and shallots in olive oil until they become soft and translucent.
• Add the celery, hot pepper and bell pepper and saute for another 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
• Add the chipotle chili seasoning, the can of tomatoes and vegetable broth and bring to a rolling boil.
• Add the drained, cooked beans.
• Reduce heat and simmer 5-7 minutes longer.
• Remove about half of the mixture to a blender and puree return pureed soup to the pot - or if you have an immersion blender, use it in the pot.
• Stir in the salsa and about 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro.
• Taste to adjust seasoning. Add the cumin and more chipotle chili seasoning if necessary.
• Ladle into bowls and garnish with a healthy dose of Greek yogurt (or sour cream if you prefer) and a few more sprigs of cilantro.
• Chipotle Chili Seasoning
• I made this to replace the sodium-laden packet of taco seasoning for that 7-layer Taco dip. It was so good, that I've decided to use it in everything that might be considered remotely Mexican.
• Ingredients:
• * 1 tablespoon chili powder
• * 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder, or pulverized dried chipotle chili
• * 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• * 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• * 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• * 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• * 1/2 teaspoon paprika - if you can find pimentón, smoked Spanish paprika, use this
• * 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• * 1 teaspoon sea salt
• * 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Directions:
• 1. In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.
• 2. Store in an airtight container, like an empty spice jar.