Meatless Monday - Black Bean Soup

I love black beans, but oddly, I seldom cook them at home. Then, I had the thought to make up a batch of black bean soup as an antidote to the meatfest we had scheduled one recent weekend. I had made reservations at Fogo de Chao to take advantage of the large Restaurant Week discount and knew that downing large amounts of fatty protein would leave my body crying out for something much leaner the next day. Unfortunately, one of our party had a change in plans so we scrapped the whole idea.

But I still made the bean soup. And it was good.

Black Bean Soup

1 poblano chile
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, roughly chopped
1 leek, white and light green parts sliced and thoroughly rinsed
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon finely minced cilantro
2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained
3 cups veggie stock (or chicken, pork, or ham stock)

Roast poblano chile over an open flame (a grill, or a gas burner on your stove; alternately, place on a baking sheet and roast under the broiler). When blackened all over, place chile in a paper bag to steam. When chile is cool enough to handle, remove the blackened skin. Cut chile open, remove seeds and veins, and discard stem. Chop chile into about 1/4" pieces; set aside.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and leek; cook until vegetables begin to turn translucent and soften. Add garlic and about 3/4 of the roasted poblano (reserving the rest for garnish). Mix in cumin, add beans and broth and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 20-30 minutes. Remove soup from heat and allow to cool for about 30 minutes. Puree soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a conventional blender. Reheat until soup has thickened slightly, 15 minutes.

Serve garnished with Cilantro Cream, Tomato Salad, and reserved poblano chiles

Cilantro Cream

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon chopped green onions
3 tablespoons sour cream
pinch salt

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Tomato Salad

1 cup mixed small tomatoes (grape, yellow pear, etc.) cut in half or quarters depending on size
1/4 cup chopped pepper of your choice (bell, if you want mild, jalapeno if you want spicy, etc.)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon sugar
pinch salt

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Allow to sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes for flavors to blend. Add more salt or sugar to taste.

Posted by theminx on Minxeats.com.