Cuban Black Bean Soup
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2 bay leaves 1 lb dried black beans 12½ c water, divided 1 Tbsp canola oil 3 med. green bell peppers, chopped 2½ c onion, chopped 1/3 c shallots, chopped 1 Tbsp cumin 2 Tbsp dried oregano 2 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped 1½ Tbsp sugar 2 tsp salt 2 c avocado, chopped 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice 2 c red onion, thinly sliced 1½ c cooked ham, chopped 1 c fresh cilantro, chopped 1 c light sour cream 1/3 c jalapeno pepper, finely chopped lime wedges, optional |
Place bay leaves and beans in a Dutch oven. Add 12 cups water to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 1/2 hours or until tender, stirring occasionally. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper, chopped onion, and shallots to pan; cook 10 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring frequently. Stir in cumin, dried oregano, and fresh oregano; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Place vegetable mixture in a blender; add remaining 1/2 cup water. Puree until smooth. Add vegetable mixture, sugar, and salt to beans; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves. Combine avocado and juice; toss gently. Ladle 3/4 cup bean mixture into each of 10 bowls; top each serving with about 3 tablespoons avocado mixture, about 3 tablespoons red onion, 2 tablespoons ham, about 1 1/2 tablespoons cilantro, about 1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream, and about 1/2 teaspoon jalapeño pepper. Serve with lime wedges, if desired. |