Black Bean Soup + Toasted Cumin Seed Crema
Total Time
6 hours
Rating
0 out of 5 stars
(0)
Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium-size red onions, chopped
- 1 medium-size red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 16-ounce package dried black beans
- 1 tablespoon chopped chipotle chiles from a can (adjust to taste)
- 7 cups water
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
- 1 cup Mexican crema or crème fraîche
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
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Preparation
Step 1
Heat olive oil in the bottom of a 5-quart or larger Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and both bell peppers and sauté until beginning to brown, about eight minutes.
Step 2
Add garlic and cumin; stir one minute. Add beans and chipotles, then 7 cups water.
Step 3
Bring to a full boil, boil for 1 minute, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer, partially cover pot, and cook until beans have softened, about 2 to 3 hours.
Step 4
For the slow-cooker: Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and both bell peppers and sauté until beginning to brown, about eight minutes.
Step 5
Add garlic and cumin; stir one minute. Transfer mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add beans and chipotles, then 7 cups hot water. Cover and cook on high until beans are very tender, about 6 hours.
Step 6
For the InstantPot or electric pressure cooker: Heat olive oil in the bottom of your pressure cooker on the sauté function. Add onions and both bell peppers and sauté until beginning to brown, about eight minutes.
Step 7
Add garlic and cumin; stir one minute. Add beans and chipotles, then 7 cups hot water. Cover, locking lid and closing steam valve. Cook at high pressure on the manual setting for 30 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 to 15 minutes, then manually the rest of the way.
Step 8
While it cooks, make the topping: Place the cumin in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Toast until lightly golden brown. Place in spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind until coarse. Stir it into the cream and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Step 9
Transfer two cups bean mixture to blender; puree until smooth, then return the puree to remaining soup in slow cooker. Or, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup right where you’ve cooked it.
Step 10
Stir in lime juice, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. Ladle soup into bowls.
Step 11
Spoon dollop of toasted cumin seed cream over each bowl and serve.
Step 12
Save recipe for the next time?
Chef's notes
The recipe calls for 6 hours in a slow-cooker, though times may vary.
If chipotle en adobo is unavailable, use chipotle powder with tomato paste.
The soup can be served "taco-style" with baked tortilla chips, pickled onions, and avocado to make it more kid-friendly.
