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“A Bearnaise sauce is simply an egg yolk, a shallot, a little tarragon vinegar and butter, but it takes years of practice for the result to be perfect.” — Fernand Point

The Best Black Bean Soup (Seattle Times)

A deeply flavored black bean soup with smoky chipotle chiles, jalapeños, red wine and Mexican oregano. The soup combines tender whole beans with a rich, velvety broth and is finished with tangy pickled red onions, sour cream and fresh cilantro.

Seattle Times Black Bean Soup


Servings: About 8
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: About 2–2½ hours

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 small (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 onions, peeled and chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
  • 1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and picked over
  • 2 quarts mild vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Red wine vinegar, to taste
  • Sour cream or Mexican crema, for serving, optional
  • Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving, optional

Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients:

  • 1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • Freshly squeezed juice of 2 limes
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions:

  1. Empty the chipotle chiles and adobo sauce into a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Transfer to a small container and set aside.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat.
  3. Add the carrots, onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–8 minutes, until softened but not browned.
  4. Add the red wine and simmer until the liquid has almost completely evaporated and the vegetables are coated with the reduced wine.
  5. Add the jalapeños and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring, until slightly softened.
  6. Push the vegetables toward the edges of the pot. Spoon 2 teaspoons of the chipotle purée into the center and let it cook for about 1 minute. Stir it into the vegetables.
  7. Add the black beans, stock, oregano and bay leaves. Stir well and bring to a boil.
  8. Boil for 10–15 minutes, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
  9. Cook for 1–2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans begin to soften. Add hot water as necessary during cooking to keep the soup fairly loose rather than overly thick.
  10. Add the kosher salt and black pepper and continue cooking until the beans are completely tender.
  11. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
  12. For the ideal texture, leave most of the beans whole but purée a small portion of the soup with an immersion blender. Alternatively, transfer a small amount to a blender, purée until smooth and return it to the pot. Repeat if necessary until the broth is velvety but plenty of whole beans remain.
  13. Heat through and taste. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt, pepper, a few drops of red wine vinegar and additional chipotle purée as desired.

Pickled Red Onions

  1. While the soup cooks, combine the sliced red onion, lime juice and a generous pinch of salt in a bowl.
  2. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes, until the onions are slightly softened but still crunchy and tart.
  3. Drain and rinse briefly with cold water. Pat or squeeze dry with paper towels and refrigerate until ready to serve. Coarsely chop if desired.

To Serve

  1. Ladle the hot soup into deep bowls.
  2. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream or Mexican crema, pickled red onions and fresh cilantro leaves.

Tip: Start with the specified 2 teaspoons of chipotle purée and add more only after tasting the finished soup. Chipotles vary considerably in heat, and the extra purée can always be added at the end.

Source: The Seattle Times