Black Bean Soup

I was very nervous about this one...because while Logan is beginning to dabble in the bean world he is certainly not a bean lover and this soup is almost entirely black beans.  So you could see where my worry came from...  BUT much to my surprise the non bean lover, LOVED this soup!  So there is hope for all your non bean lovers out there.  I must say that he is a pretty open minded eater, so not every bean hater will love this soup, but it's definitely worth a try.  While this soup makes a lot, next time I think I would halve it because I wasn't a huge fan of the leftover...mainly because I ran out of the accompaniments that went along with the soup.  The really nice thing about this soup is that it is really quick.  A lot of soups take about an hour or more to cook, this one 30 min total and you'll be ready to eat...so that's good news.  Also add more jalapeno if you like it really spicy because while it claims to be spicy, it wasn't that spicy in our opinions.  Next time I will definitely add more.  

ENJOY!

Spicy Black Bean Soup

1 piece (8oz) cooked ham, in one 1/2 in thick slice

1 T olive oil

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, finely chopped, plus more for garnish

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp oregano

3 cans (15.5oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups water

1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

In a large pot, cook ham over med heat until browned on both sides, 4-5 min.  Transfer to a plate/cutting board.

Reduce heat to med and add oil.  Cook onion, stirring until lightly browned, 2-3 min.  Add jalapeno, garlic, cumin and oregano; cook, stirring until fragrant 1-2 min.  Add beans and water; simmer 10 min.

 

Remove from heat; stir in cilantro.  Using immersion or regular blender puree mixture until smooth.  Remember if using a regular blender don't fill more than half way.  Add water if needed to thin out soup.

Garnish with ham cubes, jalapeno, and cilantro...I added sour cream, YUM!

Logan Rating: ***