Recipe for cooking black bean soup

Soups for Salads :: Vegetable Soups

Black Bean Soup

1 lb. dried black beans
1 tsp. cumin seed
1 tsp. coriander seed
1 tsp. roasted Mexican oregano
1/2 lrg. onion, peeled, with root fibers attached
4 lrg. cloves garlic, slightly mashed
2 jalapeo chiles, cut lengthwise
1 bunch cilantro, tied
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
6 qt. water
1/2 C. tomato pure
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Remove any foreign particles from the beans. Watch for sm. black stones that resemble the beans. Rinse beans in cold water three times, stirring by hand. Roast cumin, coriander and oregano together and crush or roughly grind them in a spice mill. Tie them up together with the onion, garlic, jalapeos, cilantro, bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns in cheesecloth and simmer in water for 15 min.

Add beans, tomato pure and salt to the water and simmer very low for 3 hr., or until the beans are completely soft and just starting to fall apart. Add water as necessary. Remove the cheesecloth bag. To make a thicker soup, pure 1 1/2 C. beans and stir them back into the soup.

Pour the soup into individual servings bowls and garnish with equal amounts of sour cream, chopped avocado, minced scallions, chopped cilantro and minced serrano chiles.

Serve with a lime wedge.