Black bean soup
Growing
up in Chicago, I knew only what Texans call “northern beans” and I was taught
were Boston baked beans—we’d open a can and season it with brown sugar or
molasses. Ketchup, mustard, onion. Pretty much, it was a kitchen sink dish. When
I moved to Texas (well over fifty years ago), I discovered pintos. I was leery,
especially of refritos, which I first ate at Joe T. Garcia’s where I was overwhelmed
by dishes I’d never heard of and, at first, ate tentatively. But I learned to
love TexMex and to cook pinto beans. And I gave up cooking “northern” beans. I
still love them, but Bush’s Original tastes just like home to me.
In
recent years, I’ve really broadened my bean menu. I learned, for instance, that
I could never cook black beans soft enough. I buy the canned. And lately I’ve
learned a new trick: you don’t always have to drain and rinse beans. It depends
on what you’re doing with them. Before, I was a bit disdainful of that thick,
syrupy liquid, but it turns out it’s packed with flavor and vitamins. I learned
this making the easiest black bean soup ever. I may never do it another way. I
adapted this from America’s Test Kitchen.
Black bean soup
2 cans black beans
2 cups chicken broth
1 4 oz. can green chilis
¼ cup milk (as needed—I don’t
like bean soup too thin)
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
Lime wedges and cilantro to
serve
Three
things are key to this soup: Do not drain the beans; process about half the
beans until they are thick and smooth; be generous with the lime juice.
Simmer
beans, broth, and chilis until the mixture begins to thicken. Put about half
the mixture in food processor, run until smooth, and return to the pan. Simmer
until heated through to serving temperature. If the consistency is too thick,
thin with a bit of milk but do it gradually.
To
serve: pour soup into bowls or soup plates and top with a generous dollop o f yogurt
and a sprig of cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
Want a
white bean soup? Here’s one I adapted from Cook’s Kitchen. The big difference
here is the use of pickled celery for garnish. My dinner guest kept saying, “I’ve
never had pickled celery.” It was different and good.
To pickle celery:
½ cup rice vinegar
1 scant Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 celery rib, minced
Heat first four ingredients until simmering. Add celery off
heat and let it sit for fifteen or twenty minutes while you make the soup.
Drain and set aside.
The soup:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
1 celery rib, minced
½ tsp. dried thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced
A pinch of cayenne (optional
but it adds a good spark)
2 cans white beans, undrained
2 Tbsp. fresh grated Parmesan
or Pecorino
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp. butter
Lemon wedges
Sauté onion
and celery in olive oil until soft. Add thyme, cayenne, and garlic and cook for
a minute. Then add undrained beans and simmer until heated through.
At
this point, use an immersion blender if you have it and want a smooth soup.
If you want some chunky beans in your soup, remove half the beans to the
processor. Add Parmesan, 1 cup broth, and butter. Process until smooth and
return to the bean mixture. Stir in remaining broth a bit at a time until you
get the thickness you want. Heat to desired serving temperature.
Serve
in soup plates. Garnish with the celery. Serve with lemon wedges.
So
guess what we’re having for dinner tonight? Rice bowls with chicken, black beans,
and chopped fresh vegetables. Yep, we’ll drain those beans.
