Spicy Black Bean Soup
INGREDIENTS :
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions , chopped
• 3 celery ribs , finely chopped
• 1 large carrot , peeled and sliced into thin rounds
• 6 garlic cloves , pressed or minced
• 4 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes ( use ¼ teaspoon if you ’ re sensitive to spice )
• 4 cans ( 15 ounces each ) black beans , rinsed and drained
• 4 cups ( 32 ounces ) low-sodium vegetable broth
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro ( optional )
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar , to taste , or 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
INSTRUCTIONS :
1 . Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat until shimmering . Add the onions , celery and carrot and a light sprinkle of salt . Cook , stirring occasionally , until the vegetable are soft , about 10 to 15 minutes .
2 . Stir in the garlic , cumin and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant , about 30 seconds . Pour in the beans and broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat . Cook , reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer , until the broth is flavorful and the beans are very tender , about 30 minutes .
3 . Transfer about 4 cups of the soup to a stand blender , securely fasten the lid , and blend until smooth ( never fill your blender past the maximum fill line , and beware the steam that escapes from the top of the blender , it ’ s very hot ). Or , use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup .
4 . Return the pureed soup to the pot , stir in the cilantro , vinegar / lime juice and salt and pepper , to taste . Serve .
FEBRUARY eaglebrooke newsletter 11