Black Bean Soup

Black bean soup is a great side, or main course, to a TexMex (Texas-style or Mexican) meal. The best black bean soup is with dried black beans, rather than canned. Be sure to lay out the dried beans to remove any split kernels or tiny rocks that sometimes get mixed in.

Ingredients

·         1 lb (454g) Black beans

·         3 Tbsp / ¼ Cup (60 ml) Extra Virgin Olive oil

·         ¼ lb (110g) Back Bacon

·         ¼ lb (110g) Diced Honey Roast Ham

·         4 Onions, chopped

·         4 Garlic cloves, minced

·         3 Stalks celery including leaves, chopped

·         12 oz / 1½ Cups (350g) Uncooked Brown Rice

·         1 tsp (6g) Cayenne Pepper

·         2 tsp (12g) Ground Cumin

·         4.5 Imp. Pints /90 fl.oz (2.5 L) Chicken broth

·         3 Tbsp / ¼ Cup (60 ml) Dry white wine

·         6 Tbsp / ½ Cup (120ml) Sherry

Method

o        Wash black beans, cover with water and allow to soak overnight;

§         rinse; drain; set aside.

o        Pour oil into large soup pot.

§         Add bacon, ham, onion, garlic and celery.

§         Cook at high simmer until vegetables are soft (about 30 minutes).

§         Add beans, rice, seasonings and broth to soup pot.

o        Bring to the boil;

o        reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2½ to 3 hours.

o        Let soup cool;

§         Liquidize (put through the blender) a little at a time, until smooth.

o        Return to soup pot; reheat on low about 45 minutes, adding wine and sherry.

o        Serve hot.

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Notes:
A dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh minced cilantro is a nice garnish for this soup. Serve this with Jalapeño Cornbread to make a real Texas-style meal.