Black Bean Soup Recipe
Ingredients
| Water | 8 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| 2 cups dried black or turtle beans | ||
| Bay leaves | 2 | |
| Several parsley stems | ||
| Black peppercorns | 10 To taste | |
| Olive oil | 1 Tablespoon | |
| Onions | 2 Large | |
| Garlic | 1 Clove (5gm), minced | |
| 1 rib celery with some leaves, coarsely chopped | ||
| 2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped | ||
| Lemon | 1 , quartered | |
| Salt | 2 Teaspoon | |
| Ground black pepper | To Taste | |
| Dry sherry | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Thin lemon slices for garnish | ||
Directions
GETTING READY
1. In a piece of cheesecloth or muslin, tie together the bay leaf, parsley, and peppercorns. Keep aside.
MAKING
2. In a large heavy bottomed preferably cast-iron skillet or soup pot, heat water to boiling point over moderate heat.
3. Add the beans to the boiling water.
4. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour, occasionally skimming the froth that surfaces.
5. In the meantime, in a small skillet, heat the oil over moderately low flame.
6. Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrots and sauté for 2 minutes until onion is limp.
7. Add ½ cup of cooking liquid of boiling beans and cook till vegetables are soft.
8. One the beans have cooked for 1 hours, add the spice bag, soft vegetables, beef or veal bone (if using), lemon quarters and seasonings according to preference.
9. Simmer the soup for 2 hours, until the beans are mushy soft.
10. Use a slotted spoon to remove the lemons, spice bag and bone.
11. Turn the bean-vegetable mixture into a large food processor or liquidizer jar.
12. Blend into a smooth or slightly grainy texture puree if you like
13. Return the puree into the pot
14. Adjust seasoning to taste.
15. Re-heat soup over low heat.
16. Stir in the sherry.
17. If soup is too thick, adjust the consistency by adding hot water accordingly.
SERVING
18. Ladle soup into warmed bowls
19. Garnish the soup with lemon slices and chopped egg white if you like.
1. In a piece of cheesecloth or muslin, tie together the bay leaf, parsley, and peppercorns. Keep aside.
MAKING
2. In a large heavy bottomed preferably cast-iron skillet or soup pot, heat water to boiling point over moderate heat.
3. Add the beans to the boiling water.
4. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour, occasionally skimming the froth that surfaces.
5. In the meantime, in a small skillet, heat the oil over moderately low flame.
6. Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrots and sauté for 2 minutes until onion is limp.
7. Add ½ cup of cooking liquid of boiling beans and cook till vegetables are soft.
8. One the beans have cooked for 1 hours, add the spice bag, soft vegetables, beef or veal bone (if using), lemon quarters and seasonings according to preference.
9. Simmer the soup for 2 hours, until the beans are mushy soft.
10. Use a slotted spoon to remove the lemons, spice bag and bone.
11. Turn the bean-vegetable mixture into a large food processor or liquidizer jar.
12. Blend into a smooth or slightly grainy texture puree if you like
13. Return the puree into the pot
14. Adjust seasoning to taste.
15. Re-heat soup over low heat.
16. Stir in the sherry.
17. If soup is too thick, adjust the consistency by adding hot water accordingly.
SERVING
18. Ladle soup into warmed bowls
19. Garnish the soup with lemon slices and chopped egg white if you like.
Chef
