JAMAICAN BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH CILANTRO CREAM

For the longest time I've had a bag of dried black beans in my cupboard.  I don't remember when I bought them and I don't know what I bought them for.  Ususally I keep cans of various beans on hand, rather than dried.  So for several weeks now, the thought of making something with them has been in the back of my mind, but I'd always put it off since using dried beans involves a bit of a time commitment.  Either you soak them over night or you quick soak them, which depending on the bean, can still take almost two hours.  Not too quick.  Since Monday was President's Day and even though I did have to work, the powers that be let us leave early.  Granted with the gift of more time that usual after work, I decided to tackle my black bean project.

This recipe come from Sarah Foster's first cookbook.

 

 

INGREDIENTS
2 cups dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
4 ribs celery, diced
2 jalepenos, diced with seeds
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 Granny Smith or other tart apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1 tablespoon dried basil
8 cups chicken stock
4 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 limes
2 scallions, thinly sliced (for garnish, optional)

(For the cilantro cream)
1/2 cup  sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
juice of 1 lime

2 scallions, thinly sliced (for garnish)

METHOD
Quick soak the beans:  Place the beans in a large pot and cover with water by 3 inches.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.  Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.

While the beans are cooking, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, add the onion and cook, stirring for about 10 minutes, until softened.  Add the red bell pepper, carrots, celery, and jalepenos and cook, stirring for about 10 more minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer.  Add the apple, basil, broth, bay leaves, salt and pepper, and drained beans.  Stir to blend.  Bring to a low boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the beans are tender. 

Remove the bay leaves.  Place half of the soup in a blender and puree until smooth.

Return the pureed mixture to the pot and cook an additional 15 minutes.  Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lime juice.  Ladle into bowls, garnish with the scallions and the cilantro cream and serve immediately.

The aromatic smell of this soup while it was cooking was amazing.  Fruity and spicy.  As great as it smelled, it tasted even better.  Most black bean soups I've encountered are kind of samey, either they taste like a soupier black bean dip or there is the overwhelming heat of chipotle.  This one is slightly different thanks to the apple, basil and the fresh lime juice, but those subtle differences really make it stand out.  I pureed about half the soup but I think you could almost not puree it at all.  The chunks of apple looked really pretty floating amongst the black beans.  And again I hate to say it, but using dried beans does make a difference in the texture.  They retain their shape very well without getting mushy, even after reheating.  This would be a great candidate for freezing.  The cookbook suggests that it could be served over rice, but I think it's great on its own.

Serves 6

Comments

[Vaguely Urban]

Your photos are gorgeous, and your mise is awe-inducing and very motivating!

The black bean soup looks delish. As Ina G. would say - with that much garlic, how bad can it be?

[Grant]

Thank you so much. I'm glad you like the photos. I just set them next to a lamp and shoot.

How I love Ina. I think she fills the void that was left when Nigella got remarried. Decadent gluttony. I love that she always seems to have a cold bottle Veuve Clicquot handy, everything she makes requires at least half a stick of butter, and she's surrounded by a gaggle of fabulous gays. I wish I were in the Hamptons right now sitting beside Ina's fireplace eating a clafouti.

[Janie]

Hello-

I made this soup tonight and it's fantastic!! Thanks for posting the recipe. :)

[Amy Brown]

I'd lent my Foster's Market cookbook to someone months ago and desperately wanted to make this soup tonight. Thanks so much for posting it, AND your beautiful photos.

[Strata Chalup]

This looks marvelous, and I can't wait to try it. OK, I kind of have to wait, beans being what they are to cook, and it being late already. ;-)

Do you post to familyoven? I saw a recipe there that looks identical, and the picture seems like a crop of your 'ta-dah' bowl of soup pic. If you didn't post it, perhaps you're interested in nudging the person who did. ;-)

cheers,
Strata

[julie]

Made this recipe just last week for friends who'd given me a ham bone hoping I would do something with it for them in return. The husband is currently going through treatment for Lymphoma . How could I say "no?" So the only alteration I made was to cook the beans with the ham bone. Plus I pureed all of it. The ham added a smokey element to the fruit and heat. Good and complex especially with that fabulous lime/cilantro sour cream. Served the soup over rice with my favorite simple salad of mixed greens, tomatoes, green pepper and avocado dressed with lime juice and olive oil. Now that's what I call the perfect healing meal.

[Krema za vene]

I just made this tonight and it was delicious! Thanks for this recipe. You can't beat how easy it is, plus it tastes great. Thanks again!

[Atopijski Dermatitis]

I just made this tonight and it was delicious! Thanks for this recipe. You can't beat how easy it is, plus it tastes great.
Thanks again!

[cheap viagra]

Does anyone have a good recipe for the cilantro lime cream sauce they use at California Pizza Kitchen?
They use this sauce on the Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pizza they make.

[buy cheap kamagra]

A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function.[3] There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.

[propecia cost]

I make restore points before I upgrade anything like this, but I still worry about upgrading too much and messing something up. So, is it better to upgrade computer drivers or leave them alone if they're working fine?

[cheap viagra]

Black can be defined as the visual impression experienced when no visible light reaches the eye. Pigments that absorb light rather than reflect it back to the eye "look black". A black pigment can, however, result from a combination of several pigments that collectively absorb all colors.

[Truth About Abs]

Mmmmmmm! Looks delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe! =)

[lacoste shoes 2010]

nothing in the world is impossible if you set your mind to do it.

[coach purses]

Remember what should be remembered, and forget what should be forgotten.Alter what is changeable, and accept what is mutable.

[online viagra]

Simply Great blog I like JAMAICAN BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH CILANTRO CREAM. keep posting such a nice recipes

.....Alex

[viagra online]

When implementing process or information system changes, slow and steady doesn't necessarily win the race. You have the need for speed.

[basil]

This seems like a really great recipe. I have never used cilantro like this. I have bookmarked this page and I am going to give it a try.

[viagra]

A great informative blog.Keep posting articles like.You have a great knowledge of the subject.Thanks for sharing such an article where education of people matters the most.Your way of expressing articles through words is excellent.he way of expressing things is best and informative.Keep sharing articles like this.A great article with best possible effects.I am great fan of your blog.Every time i come here i see something very new.Thanks for sharing the information.

[Burton bullet snowboards]

Hi there, I found your blog via Google while searching for first aid for a heart attack and your post looks very interesting for me.

[nike air max]

So content to benefit from such a insightful post that does not depend on base posturing to obtain the topic fulfilled. The post is in reality the greatest on this laudable topic. Preserve it up!

[nike air max]

I find it difficult to subscribe RSS feeds, bookmark this site anyway I have is ar very useful and complete information.

[viagra online]

In the second instance, the use of force was unjust and inappropriate, but not sufficient to cause significant injury. The words used were hateful and stupid, but alone would not seem sufficiently shocking to mobilize the masses seeking justice.

[wine bottle gift bags]

One of the thoughts in my daily living, good to see some positive attitude on you.