Could anyone suggest a recipe for black bean soup?

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I could get it from a book and could probably wing it, but you all are the best. Something with maybe bacon, tomato, cilantro, vinegar? Or a variation more like a stew with pork?

Suggestions are welcome. We are looking to have some things lower in fat, to boost our fiber intake, and to work some more veggies into our diet, and get as much nutritional punch as possible.

Thanks, all.
Kim

[A HERETIC I AM]

1. I've made Cuban black beans by just combining the best from

several recipes I've found on the internet. It might not be the soup you are looking or but i think you'll like them this way.

One thing in particular that MUST go in is Cumin. It gives it a flavor that is unmistakably Caribbean. Bay leaves are a must as well as vinegar. A tablespoon or two near the end does wonders.

A whole onion, diced small
A whole green bell pepper, diced small sauteed together in a large pot with olive oil.
2 whole smoked ham shanks (NOT HOCKS!) that you will remove later and cut the meat off of to add back in. I recommend against hocks cause shanks have more meat on them. Plus, if you can find smoked ones in your grocery store they add nice flavor.
Salt, Pepper, the beans, water and not much else!

Don't forget to rinse, clean and presoak the beans, either overnight or a quick soak. That tip will be on the bag.

A proper Cuban way to serve them is in a small cup alongside a plate onto which a cup of white rice has been overturned in the center. Finely minced fresh onion on the side and a little hot sauce, with some fried plantains and you are right there on SW 8th street in little Havana!

I suggest doing what i did and look at Foodtv.com as well as googling "Cuban food". You'll find numerous ways to make them but look for the vinegar and the cumin. Take the best of those recipes and make your own!

You can't miss.

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2. Thank you so. I have a couple of people in my household,

they are really looking to eat differently. I'll try this. None of us has dietary restrictions and no one objects to seasoned food. But it'll be new, so one must go with care about changes in food. But this sounds delicious.

And hocks are a PITA, you're right about that. I didn't think of shanks. I need to dust off the apron. Gladly.

Thanks again.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

3. Not soup, but

we're lazy. I buy the Goya black beans in a six-pack at Costco, and then just use them as a topping for rice.

Like this:

In a large bowl, the cooked rice.
On top of that, the black beans, right out of the can, as much as you like.
Then, just add whatever pleases you - we do:

Lots of chopped onions
Corn
Peas, raw in season
Chopped apples
Jalapenos, chopped
Raisins
Nuts
Chopped carrots, celery, red cabbage

Toss it all, then toss it with some good olive oil. Sprinkle a little salt, and then toss it with some good red wine vinegar.

Garnish with cilantro and parsley.

It's really a big favorite around here.

[put out]

7. This makes me think of incorporating the beans into dark,

uncooked greens as in a salad, with oranges and pecans (I know not the healthiest nut, but my favorite). A vinegar dressing. I'm hungry.

Thanks.

[livetohike]

4. Quick and easy black bean soup

2 (15 oz.)cans of black beans
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
1 (28 oz)can whole or diced tomatoes
10 sun-dried tomatoes
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
Salt and Pepper to taste

Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in boiling water to cover until soft. Saute the chopped onions and garlic in a little olive oil in your soup pot. Add the black beans and canned tomatoes, and bring to a boil.Reduce to a simmer. Meanwhile, drain the dried tomatoes and chop them. Add these to the soup with the minced jalapenos. Salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer for 20-30 minutes.

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8. Add a lot of cheese and destroy your healthy recipe.

Are the jalapenos cooked, pickled, raw, or do you sautee them with the garlic and onion?

Thanks, this sounds good. Do you season it further?

[livetohike]

11. I add the jalapenos raw for more of a kick

but I'm sure sauteeing them would turn out fine. I set a bottle of Tabasco on the table for my husband. I don't kike it that hot.

I've been known to ruin this recipe with sour cream and cheese :-).

[calico1]

5. Check out the recipe I posted for

Cuban black beans on the bean thread. I will also do my "sofrito" and add it to the beans. I saute a little salt pork in a little olive oil. (Adding a little oil helps it render more). Not too much, just for taste. To that I will add some chopped cured ham, like the kind of ham you bake for the holidays. I like plenty of ham. Then I add chopped onions, one green pepper (cubanelle) some garlic and chopped cilantro. And yes, cumin is an important ingredient as someone mentioned! I am not big on adding tomatoes or tomato sauce to my beans but a lot of people do. Apparently its a cuban thing to add a dash of vinegar. I have not done this but it sounds good. I do use olives which have vinegar and you can do that too but if you don't like olives the vinegar is a good idea. Enjoy. Its a matter of experimentation with tastes to find what you like best.

[put out]

9. No tomatoes. Hm, I had envisioned the soup with some.

If the beans break down, do you think it would be good as a thickener for stew of some sort? People are suggesting pork, we like it. Is sofrito, is it beans another way? Don't do my work for me, I'll look it up.

Bad people, I'm now very hungry. Suggest a bread and I'm a goner.
Kim

[calico1]

10. I personally do not use tomatoes but

as I said a lot of people do. One way you can thicken any kind of bean soup with the beans is take some of the beans (after they have all cooked) and put them through the blender and then put them back in the pot with the whole beans. :hi:

[ernstbass]

6. Regardless of the recipe, add a little orange zest

It really enhances all of the flavors without overpowering the soup.