Velvety Black Bean Soup
It is spring in New England here, and the weather is still very changeable. ( Apple blossoms and snow flurries.) It’s a busy gardening time and there is lots to get done.
This is good soup weather.
I chose these vegetables hoping to make this soup hearty (the roots), and not too heavy( all the alliums), for this spring weather.
You can also use different vegetables to suit your taste, availability, season and climate.
The flavor is developed more by cooking the beans well so they taste good right from the start.
You can use canned beans, but may have to adjust the seasonings at the end more.
The veggies are sauteed first and then with the spices to develop even more flavor.
I love the creamy texture of this soup when I blend about two thirds of the pot. It just takes a minute or two.
You can blend or not blend, either way works.
In the photo the soup is served with a spring salad and some homemade herbed pita crisps.
(Pita, cut and toasted in the oven with a mix of minced fresh herbs, zested garlic, sea salt and olive oil)
The soup will keep for at least a week in the frig. after making.
Welcome Spring!
Velvety Black Bean Soup
Makes aprox. 3 and 1/2 quarts
Beans are soaked overnight and then slow cooked during the day.
Prep and cook time starting with the cooked beans is about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
1 lb. (2 1/2 cups) black turtle beans, washed and soaked overnight
a 3 inch piece of kelp (optional)
1/4 tsp. sea salt
4 medium onions
3 shallots
3 garlic
2 carrots
1 cup diced celeriac ( about 1/2 of a medium sized root)
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. cumin or a little more to taste
2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika or a little more to taste
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
2 Tbs. low sodium soy sauce or a little more to taste
Fresh herbs for garnish – scallions, cilantro, chives, oregano….
Directions:
Wash beans and soak overnight covered by at least an inch of water.
Drain, rinse and put in slow cooker with kelp. Add water just to cover and cook for 8 hours or so on low.
Add sea salt and cook 15 minutes.
If you are using an instant cooker, pour beans into a bowl and wash pot ( after it cools a bit).
Dice onions, shallots, carrots and celeriac. Mince garlic.
Warm oil in pot. Add onions and saute for a few minutes until they start to melt. Add a little pinch of sea salt, garlic and shallots. Stir and continue to saute for a few minutes.
Add carrots, celeriac and spices.
Continue to cook for a bit more, stirring as needed and the carrots start to soften a bit.
Just a few minutes to develop the flavor.
Add all the beans and enough water just to cover.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Add soy sauce, taste and adjust seasonings.
You can serve this as is or blend a portion of the soup and add back in.
Serve hot garnished with fresh herbs.
