Thursday, November 4, 2010

Hearty Black Bean Soup

I was going to share my recipe for easy, foolproof and awesome guacamole today, but it is so cold and rainy and miserable, that I decided it was a Hearty Black Bean Soup day!  This is a recipe I created by combining the best parts of other recipes I'd tried.  Enjoy!!


Hearty Black Bean Soup
4 servings
Soup freezes beautifully.  I always double!
 

1 tsp olive oil
1 small red or yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp each ground coriander and ground cumin
1 ¾ cups chicken broth - this is an estimate. Add more or less to make it the consistency you want. I don't measure, I just pour. :-)
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 19-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup minced cilantro - or one good handful. I add more because I love the taste of cilantro.


 
1 pd boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces, sprinkled with salt and pepper and sautéed in olive oil.




Optional garnishes: sour cream, chopped avocado



1.  Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and cook 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
2.  Add garlic, cumin & coriander and cook for one minute.


3.  Add tomatoes.


4.  While onions are cooking, drain and rinse 1 can of the beans and transfer them to the bowl of a small food processor or blender (when doubling the recipe, I use my full-sized food processor).  Add enough of the broth to the processor so that when you puree the beans they become nice and creamy (it doesn’t matter how much as it all gets added back to the soup anyway).   



Add to the soup.   


5.  Drain and rinse the 2nd can and add all the whole beans to the soup.


6.  Add rest of broth (or enough to make the soup the consistency you like).
7.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the chicken and simmer for an additional 5 minutes to heat the chicken through.


8.  Remove from the heat and add the cilantro.  
 

9.  Stir and ladle into warmed bowls. Top with sour cream and chopped avocado, if desired.


Yes, these last two photos are a bit out of focus. Not sure how it happened, but if you squint just a bit...

 
Stay warm and have a great weekend!!

1 comment:

  1. Um, I think I need a demonstration in person. How's Tuesday night work for you? :) Looks good. Gotta love cilantro

    ReplyDelete