This is a hearty and very tasty soup that’s more like a chili that stands well on its own or works in a broader group of other same types of food. It comes form Julia Moskin in NY Times Cooking, and it worth the time it takes to make it. Don’t use canned beans, used dry beans as that’s what withstands the longer cooking time and allows the flavors to grow. Make sure to make the pickled onions for serving as well. Dial up the spice as needed – this version has medium to low heat.
For this you’ll need: 1 lb of dried black beans, 1 small can of chipotle chilis in adobo, olive oil, 2 carrots (peeled and chopped), 1 large onion (peeled and chopped), 4 garlic cloves (peeled and chopped), 1 cup red wine, 1 jalapeño pepper (cored and chopped), 2 quarts vegetable stock, 1 Tbsp dried oregano, 2-3 bay leaves, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander; red wine vinegar or lime juice, sour cream, avocados, cheddar cheese (grated) for serving.
For the Pickled Onions: 1/2 large red onion (thinly sliced), juice and zest of x2 limes, salt and pepper.
Empty the can of chilis into a blender or food pressor and blend them into a smooth sauce.
In a large pot or dutch oven heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots and onions and stir well to coat. Cook until just soft but not brown, about 5-8 mins. Pour in the red wine, turn up the heat, stir well and cook until the wine has almost all evaporated – about 5 mins. Add the jalapeños and cook until just softening – about 2 mins.
Turn down the heat to medium, push all of the veggies out to the sides of the pot so the center is open. Add a couple teaspoons of the chili/adobo “sauce” in the middle of the pot and let it cook for a couple of minutes on its own. You can add more “sauce” here to dial up the heat if you wish. After letting it cook for a minute or two in the center of the pot, stir everything together.
Add the beans, stock, oregano and bay leave and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, partially cover the pot and allow to cook for 1-2 hours, stirring a few times, until the beans are just becoming tender (you don’t want them to fall apart). Add some salt and pepper to taste, 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp coriander, and have some hot water standing by in case the beans soak up all of the broth and you need to add some liquid.
Meanwhile, make the pickled onions by placing the thin onion slices in a small bowl and tossed them together with the lime juice/zest and some salt and pepper. Make sure everything it coated well and allow it to sit on its own for 30 mins at room temperature. Remove the onions from the bowl into a strainer and rinse with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels, return to a clean serving bowl and place in the fridge until you want to use it.
Once the beans have softened and the taste is working for you (feel free to add some salt, pepper, red wine, chili/adobo sauce, cumin or coriander) turn off the heat and gently mash a few of the beans against the side to thicken the broth slightly. But don’t overdue it you still want some structure to the soup itself.
Let the soup stand, covered, for 10 mins to an hour (reheat if it has cooled too much) to let the flavors meld a bit. Add a splash or lime juice and/or red wine vinegar before serving.
Serve with pickled onion, sour cream, grated cheddar and some sliced avocados.
Dinner at Our Place 