I am a huge fan of black beans and my friend Rachel, after coming back from El Salvador, sealed my love of the bean after making El Salvadorian breakfast for me several times. In the January/February 2011 issue of Food Everyday is an amazing, easy, totally vegan, gluetin free (for those of you who are cooking for people with food allergies or preferences) recipe for spicy black bean soup. If you like black beans I highly recommend trying this:
Serves 4
3 cans black beans (drained and rinsed) or 1 pound dried black beans (see note below)
3 cups water
2 yellow onions, diced small
2 jalapenos, minced
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
course salt and ground pepper
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
diced avocado, diced onion, cilantro, sour cream or low-fat yogurt and tortilla strips for serving
Drain and rinse beans in a colander. In a large dutch oven or heavy pot heat oil over medium-high. Add garlic and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often until onions are soft and golden brown, 10 minutes. Stir in remaining jalapenos, cumin, beans, water and broth. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until beans are soft, 20 minutes (if necessary add up to 1 cup water to keep beans covered).
Transfer 2 cups soup to a blender and add cornstarch. Puree until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return to put. Cook, stirring until soup thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Add lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve top with avocado, diced onion, cilantro, sour cream or yogurt and tortilla strips if desired.
**If you would like to use dried black beans use 1 pound dried beans, picked over, soaked overnight and drained. If you use these follow this as step number 1. In a medium saucepan cover beans with cold water by 2 inches. Add 1/4 each of onions and jalapenos and bring to a boil over high. Reduce to a rapid simmer, cook until beans are tender, 45 to 50 minutes.
Good thing to note. This recipe does really serve 4 adults. If you want seconds or would like leftovers you should make a double batch.
For crunchy tortilla strips cut corn tortillas into strips, toss with a little olive oil and bake at 350 degrees until crisp.
