Black Bean Soup

By fsilver4

Now this is incredible when you serve it with cilantro shrimp roasted in the oven. We frequent J. Alexander restaurant often, and on Friday nights they serve black bean soup, and they also have a dish with cilantro shrimp, so I decided to put the two together and serve it as one dish. This dish took me awhile to figure out, so this is my version and I think it's better than our favorite restaurant. Yum!

Ingredients

• 12 oz pkg black turtle beans
• 2 1/2 quarts cold water (10 cups)
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped green pepper
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1/4 cup butter
• 4 teaspoon flour
• 1/4 cup parsley
• Rind and bone of smoked hammock or ham
• 2 medium leeks, thinly sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup sherry or madeira
• Cumin
• Chili pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Wash and pick through the beans. Cover with boiling water and soak overnight. Drain and put in a large soup pot; add cold water, cover and bring to a boil and cook over low heat for 1 1/2 hours. In a fry pan, slowly cook celery, green pepper and onion in butter. Blend in flour and parsley; stir in 2 cups beans and liquid. Add to remaining bean mixture. Stir to mix. Add rind and bone, leeks, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 2 1/2 hours or until beans are cooked. Discard rind bone and bay leaves.

Using an emulsion blender sporatically blend some of the soup to thicken the broth. Leave lots of beans whole for a variety of consistancy. Stir in Sherry or Madeira and heat. Season with Cumin and Chili Pepper to taste for a smoky flavor.

Serve in bowls, surround the edges of the bowl with the roasted shrimp and then sprinkle with cilantro. In the center of the bowl spoon a tablespoon of fresh chopped scallions or white chopped onions. Lace around that with a teaspoon of sour cream.