Just Warming Up: Cuban Black Bean Soup

And...I'm back, readers!  I'm hoping to do better by you and stick with my cooking blog writing.  It's been quite a while since I've last provided you all with a cooking experience and a recipe, but believe me - I've got plenty coming.  I've got a stack of papers and magazines sitting on the floor next to my desk, just waiting to be introduced!  But back to the topic of this evening...

Winter calls for soup.  A coworker commented on my leftover lentil soup in the kitchen today about how it's all we seem to eat in the winter is soup.  It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone to learn that our bodies crave warm carbs during the winter months.  With the lack of sunlight giving us the endorphins and Vitamin D we need to keep our spirits up and our bodies warm, we turn to food to fill the void.  Potatoes, pasta, beans, creamy dishes which we would never touch when it's hot outside call us forth to their steaming bowls.  We go to bed at night with a comforting feeling in our warm-soup-bellies. 

To be fair, I made this Cuban Black Bean Soup when it was closing on Fall, but it would definitely feel right at home in the months between December and March.  The first time I made this soup was actually a few years ago.  I have made other black bean soups after that, but there's something about this particular recipe which is just terrific.  I think it's the simplicity of the soup itself.  All the fixings you add to it, are added on top of a bowl of stewed black beans - there's nothing else.  For recipes like this one, you'll definitely need the day.  It's perfect for a weekend evening, particularly Sunday, when you can drag out the copious leftovers.  I think Marshall and I even used the soup base leftovers for an attempt at enfrijoladas (tortillas smothered in a pureé of black or pinto beans) one morning a while back and it worked perfectly.  The various toppings make this a great dish when serving kids.  They can have fun plopping chunks of ham, shreds of cheese, and dollops of sour cream into their bowls to make their soup their own.


This soup warms the soul with a little kick of spice.  It also has an underlying sweetness which keeps you coming back for more.  I know that when I make this soup, I cannot have just one bowl - I must have seconds!

Cuban Black Bean Soup
Yields about 10 servings

Soup:
2 Bay Leaves
1 pound Dried Black Beans
12-1/2 Cups Water, divided
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
3-1/2Cups Green Bell Pepper (about 3 medium-sized), chopped
1/3 Cups Shallots (about 2 small-sized), chopped
1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
2 Tablespoons Dried Oregano
2 Tablespoons Fresh Oregano, chopped
1-1/2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt

Toppings: 
2 Cups Avocado, diced
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
2 Cups Red Onion, thinly sliced
1-1/2 Cups Low-Sodium (or not, your choice) Smoked Ham (fully cooked), cubed
1 Cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Cup Light (or not, your choice) Sour Cream (you could also use Greek Yogurt)
10 teaspoons Unsalted Pumpkinseed Kernels, toasted
1/3 Cup Jalapeño Pepper (about 2 medium-sized), seeded and finely chopped
Lime Wedges (optional)

1.  Place bay leaves and beans in a Dutch oven or large pot.  Add 12 cups of water; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 2-1/2 hours or until tender, stirring occasionally.
2.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add bell pepper, chopped onion, and shallots and cook 10 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring frequently.  Stir in cumin, dried and fresh oregano and cook 2 minutes, still stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes.  Place mixture into a blender and add remaining 1/2 cup water.  Pureé until smooth.
3.  Add vegetable pureé, sugar, and salt to the beans and simmer for 10 minutes. 
4.  To avoid browning of the chopped avocado, toss gently the avocado in the lime juice.
5.  Ladle bean mixture into bowls and add the toppings as desired.  Enjoy!
Credit:  Cooking Light Magazine, Jan-Feb 2008, p. 93.