Cuban Black Bean Soup
serves 6-8
1# (2 cups) dried black beans
8 c. water (I do half water and half chicken broth or I just throw in 4 chicken bouillon cubes with the water once it's boiling.)
2 bay leaves
fresh oregano sprigs (if available)
1 dried ancho or New Mexican chili pepper OR 1 fresh whole jalapeno
1/4 c. olive oil
2 yellow onions (peeled and chopped)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried leaf oregano
6-8 garlic cloves (I always do 8...or 9...the more the better in my opinion..I've always heard if you think you have added enough garlic, add one more:)
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp. thyme
1 green bell pepper (seeds and stem removed and diced)
1-2 jalapeno or serrano peppers (remove seeds/membranes OR mince with some seeds for more heat)
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, with juice (you can omit the tomatoes and just garnish soup with fresh chopped tomatoes but I like the tomatoes in the soup)
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp salt
Garnish with chopped white onion or sliced green onions, fresh cilantro sprigs (if available), plain yogurt or sour cream, grated Monterey jack or white cheddar cheese. Serve over rice. (Drew likes to throw salsa and crushed up tortilla chips on top. Just do whatever sounds good to you.)
Rinse, then soak beans over night in plenty of water OR for faster method (when you don't plan your meals the day before like me), cover beans with fresh cold water by 2" and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and cover for 2 hours.
Drain beans and rinse well.
Put pre-soaked beans in soup pot with 8 cups of fresh, cold water. Add bay leaves, fresh oregano sprigs, dried chili pepper or fresh jalapeno. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender, about an hour. Remove herbs and pepper.
While beans are cooking, add the diced bell pepper and minced hot pepper to the soup pot as you finish chopping them.
While beans are cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat in a heavy pan. Add onion, 1/2 tsp salt and cumin. Saute until onion is soft and translucent. Add garlic, oregano, thyme and red wine vinegar and simmer a few minutes. Add tomatoes, honey and 1/4 tsp salt. Continue to simmer for a few minutes.
For a thicker soup, once the beans are tender, mash some of the beans against the side of the pot or remove a cup or two of beans and puree them in a blender or food processor with a bit of the broth, then return the puree to the soup pot. (I don't mess with any of this.)
When the beans are completely tender, add the sauteed vegetables and some freshly ground black pepper.
Serve over rice.
*If beans aren't tender, the salt in the saute will make the beans tough.
*Taste and adjust seasonings. Add more honey if the tomatoes are still too acidic.
*Add additional water if the consistency seems too thick.
We had a Hall Director Social this afternoon. This is all of Res Life staff's kiddos. I love how Jared is trying to make Sam smile. We woke Isa and Sam up to go-can you tell?
Sam did not let me put him down for most of the party because of the picture two below. He was absolutely terrified (shaking, crying, clinging to me) of the Taylor Fort Wayne Falcon.
Decorating cookies.
Benjamin with Oliver, a Dharma workman from Lost for those of you who aren't fans. Crack me up.
Sweet Duck and Chicken.
Frog hitting on Duck.
Buddies.
