Boulder Black Bean Soup Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mash 1 can black beans; set aside. In a large saucepan, saute the celery, onion, red pepper and jalapeno in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. , Stir in the broth, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, hot sauce, pepper, bay leaf, mashed black beans and remaining whole beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. , Discard bay leaf. Stir in lime juice. Garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 1-1/2 teaspoons green onion.

Steps:

• Pick through the beans and discard any debris - wash under cold running water. In a food processor, add garlic, onion, bell pepper, and cilantro.
• Set a large pot over medium heat and add a 3-count of olive oil. Add the oregano and cumin. Add vegetable puree and saute until just fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Add beans, ham hock, jalapeno, and stock. Slightly cover and simmer for 2 hours until beans are tender.
• When cooked, remove bay leaves and take out ham hock. Cut ham meat off the bone, cut into pieces and set aside.
• Using a blender or immersion blender, puree just enough of the beans and stock (about a third of the total pot) to thicken up the soup and bring everything together. Season with salt and pepper and fold ham meat back into the soup.
• Make the crema by combining sour cream and zest. Serve each soup with a spoonful of lime crema, a squeeze of lime and some fresh cilantro.

Steps:

• Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until tender (about 5 minutes). Stir in oregano, thyme, cumin, and pepper; cook one minute longer. Place half of beans in a blender and puree until smooth, adding chicken broth as needed to make a smooth puree. Add puree and remaning whole beans and broth to saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes. Serve garnished with diced tomatoes, and if desired, onion and shredded cheese.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until tender (about 5 minutes). Stir in oregano, thyme, cumin, and cayenne pepper; cook one minute longer. Place half of beans in a blender and purée until smooth, adding chicken broth as needed to make a smooth purée. Add purée, remaining whole beans and broth to saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat then simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes. Serve garnished with diced tomatoes and, if desired, onion and shredded cheese. Fun Fact: The City of Boulder, Colorado, is in Boulder Valley where the Rocky Mountains meet the Great Plains, 35 miles northwest of Denver. Just west of the city are imposing rock formations of sedimentary stone along the east slope of Green Mountain, known as the Flatirons. The Flatirons are a widely recognized symbol of Boulder.

Steps:

• Place beans in a Dutch oven or soup kettle; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 to 4 hours or until beans are softened. Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid., Return beans to pan; add broth and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are almost tender. , Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the onions, celery, carrot, peppers and garlic in oil until tender. Add the tomato paste, herbs and seasonings to the bean mixture. Add the sauteed vegetables; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until beans are tender. Discard bay leaves. Garnish with chopped tomato if desired.

Steps:

• In a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker, combine the beans, onion, garlic, chipotle chile and sauce, cumin, bay leaves and/or oregano, and baking soda, if using. Add 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low until the beans are tender, 8 to 10 hours. Taste more than one bean to ensure they're all cooked through; they should also flatten without much effort when pressed between your fingers.
• Remove and compost the bay leaves. Transfer the onion, garlic and chipotle chile to a blender or food processor, along with about 2 cups of the beans and broth. (You can purée more or less of the soup, depending on desired consistency.) Blend until smooth. Pour puréed soup back into the slow cooker, stir in the vinegar, then season to taste with salt. Eat with desired toppings.

Steps:

• Empty the can of chiles into a blender or food processor. Purée until smooth, scrape into a container, and set aside. Put on a teakettle of water to boil, and keep hot.
• In a large, heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add carrots, onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Pour in wine and let simmer until pan is almost dry and vegetables are coated. Add jalapeños and cook, stirring, just until softened, 2 minutes. Push the vegetables out to the edges of the pot and dollop 2 teaspoons of chipotle purée in the center. Let fry for a minute and then stir together with the vegetables.
• Add beans, stock, oregano and bay leaves. Stir, bring to a boil, and let boil 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, partly covered, stirring occasionally and adding hot water as needed to keep the soup liquid and runny, not sludgy. Continue cooking until beans are just softened and fragrant, 1 to 2 hours. Add salt and pepper and keep cooking until beans are soft.
• Meanwhile, make the pickled onions, if using: In a bowl, combine sliced onions, lime juice and a sprinkling of salt. Let soften at room temperature until crunchy and tart, about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Squeeze dry in paper towels and refrigerate until ready to serve. If desired, chop coarsely before serving.
• Adjust the texture of the soup: The goal is to combine whole beans, soft chunks and a velvety broth. Some beans release enough starch while cooking to produce a thick broth without puréeing. If soup seems thin, use an immersion blender or blender to purée a small amount of the beans until smooth, then stir back in. Continue until desired texture is reached, keeping in mind that the soup will continue to thicken as it sits.
• Heat the soup through, taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper, drops of red wine vinegar and dabs of chipotle purée.
• Serve in deep bowls, garnishing each serving with sour cream, pickled onions, cilantro leaves, sliced chiles and avocado as desired.

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, place beans and enough water to cover beans by 2 inches. Heat to boiling; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 1 hour. Drain beans; set aside.
• In 3- or 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook 3 cups onions and the bell pepper in oil 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Add cumin, oregano and garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Add drained beans, broth and water. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Partially cover; simmer 1 hour 30 minutes or until beans are tender. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
• In blender, place half of bean mixture. Cover; blend on high speed until smooth. Return pureed soup to remaining soup in pan. Stir in lime juice, pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Serve with cheese, finely chopped onion, sour cream and cilantro.