Black Bean Soup

By akselden

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)

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 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 for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring frequently and adding more water if necessary to keep the beans well covered.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saute' pan or skillet. Saute' the bell peppers, shallots and onions over medium heat until the onions are translucent, about 15 minutes.
Add the garlic, cumin, dried and fresh oregano, and saute' for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Transfer to a blender and puree' until smooth.

When the beans are almost tender, add the pureed mixture, sugar and salt to the beans and cook until just tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Adjust the seasoning, garnish with the red onions and sour cream, and serve.