Velvet Black Bean Soup

[Guest guest]

Velvet Black Bean Soup

 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion,

chopped

3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 small

jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1 tablespoon oregano

1 large bay

leaf

3 15 ounce cans of black beans, rinsed and drained or 1 1/2 cups dried

beans, soaked in plenty of water overnight.

4 cups vegetable stock or

water

1 teaspoon salt

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

fresh lime

and cilantro for garnish

 

Heat a 4 to 6 quart pot and add olive oil. Add

onions and sauté for about 2 minutes until beginning to soften. Add garlic and

allow to sauté another minute. Add peppers and oregano and allow the vegetable

mix to cook in the oil for 5 minutes more.

If using canned beans: Add bay

leaf, beans and 4 cups of stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 to

15 minutes. Remove bay leaf and purée in a blender or food processor until

smooth. Add salt and pepper and taste for seasoning.

If using dried beans:

Remove from soaking liquid and rinse. Add to onion pepper mixture, along with 4

cups stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat cover and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Or,

pressure cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Purée soup in a blender or food processor and

add salt and pepper to taste. If soup is too thick, add a bit of water to thin

it.

Serve with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a sprinkle of chopped

cilantro.