Recipe 42: Your Favorite Little Black Bean Soup, Basic and Sassy

For my 100th posting celebration, I gift you my family's traditional black bean soup recipe, honed to perfection with every preparation in pots in Miami via Mexican and Cuban traditions.  

Except there's one major tradition: the recipe is never exactly the same.  

TWIST!  

Thusly, I encourage you to use the basic part of the recipe as your base and add in whatever extra ingredients you want (tomato, zucchini, carrots, squash, salsa, etc.) and adjust according to what you want (ie. use spicier peppers in addition to or as a substitute for your basic green peppers).  You can use dried beans if you want the whole experience; I always cheat at use the canned ones because I'm lazy. There's really no wrong way to do this, just taste it as you go along and make sure you are enjoying the flavors! 

  I'm also including the recipe I used to make the version in the pictures; holy macaroni and jesus was it bangin'.  I'm not a huge rice fan, but to serve this dish without rice is like ordering the meatlovers special without the meat (I might have done this...).  It works, but people are sure going to give you a befuddled look.  Everyone just expects black beans to be served with rice, and I don't blame them.  You can serve it with crusty bread or corn chips if you are a freak like me. 

Just know that I love this soup and make it every time I crave Cuban food or miss Miami.  100% of the time, it is delicious, all of the time.

Your Basic Little
Black Bean Soup

(Via the world famous Romina via the even more world famous Mamita, modified a bit)

Ingredients:

2 14-16 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained thoroughly

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed in a garlic press

1 large onion, chopped

2 green peppers, chopped

32 oz broth (veggie or chicken)

1/3 c dry white wine

salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

1. In a large skillet, saute all veggies except for beans on medium high until they begin to brown. Remove them from the heat. 
2. In a Dutch Oven, begin to heat black beans and broth on medium high until it begins to bubble.  This step may take a while, but remember to stir occasionally to prevent burning.  The idea is to cook the liquid down a little bit.
3. Add white wine and continue to cook for a few minutes on medium high to cook off a bit of the booze.
4. Turn down the heat to medium and stir in the vegetables.  Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until well incorporated and soft.  The soup should appear almost cloudy, but still runny. Taste and season accordingly (often you may not need extra salt if you are using canned beans; they retain a lot despite a vigorous rinse.)
5. Serve! Bon appetit!

Sassy Little Black Bean Soup after the jump:

Sassy Little Black Bean Soup
(My little Mexican abuela does not like spicy foods. 
But don't worry, Mexico.  I do.  Oh yes I do.)

Ingredients:

2 14-16 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained thoroughly

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed in a garlic press

1 large onion, chopped

2 large green peppers, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped 

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

32 oz broth (veggie or chicken)

1/3 c dry white wine

cayene, if you're feeling extra sassy

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, saute onions, peppers, garlic over medium high until they begin to brown.  Add in halved tomatoes and cook until they begin to get soft, five to ten minutes. Remove them from the heat. 
   
2. In a Dutch Oven, begin to heat black beans and broth on medium high until it begins to bubble.  This step may take a while, but remember to stir occasionally to prevent burning.  The idea is to cook the liquid down a little bit.
   
3. Add white wine and continue to cook for a few minutes on medium high to cook off a bit of the booze.
4. Turn down the heat to medium and stir in the vegetables.  Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until well incorporated and soft.  The soup should appear almost cloudy, but still runny.   Taste and season (you may want to add more cayenne to your spice taste; sometimes jalapenos are not always as spicy as you want them to be - or will burn your tongue off.  Cuidate, cabron!). 
5. Serve! Bon appetit!

Other ingredients I've successfully used to doctor the basic recipe (if you're feeling crazy, add them all and adjust fluid accordingly):

• red/yellow/orange peppers (in addition to or in lieu of the green)
• zucchini and/or yellow squash (2 small/medium, or 1 large)
• salsa (add in after other vegetables have been incorporated)
• butternut squash (1 cup)
• goat cheese (as a garnish)
• etc., etc. The sky's the limit!