This is a version of one of the first soups I ever made in the business. When I worked at Calhoun's while I was in undergraduate we had three soups on the menu. Chili, beer & cheese, and black bean. I don't follow the original recipe, as I've learned many steps and lessons in how to approach my food, but the idea is the same. This is a vegan soup, barring the garnish, that is fortified by spices & vegetables, vegetable stock, and tomatoes. Since you aren't using meat or fat, you need to puree some of the beans to give it a heartier mouthfeel, as well as season a little heavier to give it a little more depth.
A couple of things to note in this soup, or any bean soup as I've touched on before, is how you initially prepare the beans. Beans should be softened a bit so they don't take quite so long to cook, and they should also be degassed so that you can digest with less discomfort. To soften them I soak them overnight at room temperature. To degas them, I bring them up to a boil, cover the pot with plastic wrap, and turn off the heat. I will let them sit for a minimal of an hour, basically when the plastic wrap sinks into the pot after the air and heat have changed.
Additionally the garnish on this soup is up to you. I used pickled jalepenos, cilantro crema, and queso fresco, though if you want to omit dairy you could change it to a pico de galo or just a lot of chopped cilantro.
Ingredients
Black Beans, dried 32 oz (2 bags)
Garlic, sliced 6 cloves
Vegetable Stock 2 Qts
Cumin 1 T
Chipotle, large minced 1 ea
Cilantro, fresh, whole 2 oz
Onion, diced 1 ea
Serrano, diced 1 ea
Adobo Spice 2 T
Tomatillo, husked, diced 8-10 ea
Oregano, fresh, whole 2 oz
Bay Leaves 4 ea
Tomato Juice 15 oz (3 cans)
Water to cover
Salt and Pepper to taste
Garnish
Queso fresco, pickled jalepenos, cilantro crema (cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, salt), cilantro leaves
Method of Procedure
Soak your beans overnight in a large container, make sure there is a decent amount of water.
Drain your beans through a colander.
Put the soaked beans into a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and turn off. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for a minimum of 1 hour. When cooled, drain again.
Saute your onions, garlic, serrano, and tomatillos until softened, about 15 minutes on medium high heat.
Cut your cilantro stems, reserving the leaves for garnish and the crema, and add to the soup pot.
Mince your chipotle (if you don't like smokey flavor you can sub jalapenos or other hot peppers) and add to your soup. Continue to cook while stirring for another 10 minutes.
Add your black beans, oregano (keep whole), bay leaves, adobo, and cumin.
Stir and add vegetable stock, water, and tomato juice. Bring to a boil and drop to a simmer.
Cook for at least 3 hours, until the beans are tender.
Remove 1 qt of the soup, including the whole oregano (throw out the oregano).
Using a food processor, stick blender, or blender, puree the qt of removed soup and add back to the pot.
Mix the soup with the blended portion and season to taste.
Ladle the soup into a bowl and garnish with grated queso fresco, cilantro crema, and pickled jalepenos
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