New Mexico Black Bean Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Char jalapeno chiles on stovetop, barbecue or broiler until blackened. Quickly store in a tight paper bag to steam. These should be ready to peel in 10 minutes. Peel off blackened, blistered skin of pepper. Jalapeno chiles can be made ahead the preceeding day.
• Using a large dutch oven, spray bottom lightly with cooking spray.
• Saute' onion, celery, sweet chopped tri-color mini peppers, & minced garlic in pan until just soft.
• Add cooked bacon, chopped roma tomatoes, broth, crushed tomatoes, ketchup and worcestershire sauce.
• Stir in spices & chile: cumin, chiles (jalapeno & green), and oregano.
• Gently stir in beans, finely shredded tortilla, and corn.
• Simmer for 30 minutes.
• After the first 15 minutes of simmering, stir in chopped cilantro and continue for 15 minutes.
• Squeeze fresh lime juice into pot (or bowl) just before serving.
• Serve warm. Can be served chunky, or if desired, pureed to smooth texture. Garnish: sour cream, shredded cheese, chives and/or more cilantro if desired.

Steps:

• Cook bacon in large pot over medium heat until crisp, stirring frequently.
• Remove bacon and chop coarsely.
• Leave approximately 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in pan and add chopped bacon, onion, garlic, & bay leaf.
• When onion is tender, add tomatoes and seasonings and stir until aromatic.
• Add beans and broth.
• Cook at a slow boil until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours (you may also use a slow cooker on low-med heat for this last step).
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheese on top.

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 a small bowl, mash 1 can black beans until smooth; set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients and remaining can of beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes. Add mashed beans, stirring to combine. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Steps:

• This soup is preferably made at least one day in advance.
• Slice off and reserve the rind of the bacon. Cut the bacon into quarter-inch cubes. There should be about one and one-half cups.
• Put the bacon cubes and the rind into a heavy kettle or casserole and cook, stirring often, until rendered of fat. When ready, the bacon cubes should be well-browned and crisp.
• Add the onions, celery, carrots, bay leaf, garlic, thyme, three tablespoons of the cumin, black pepper and oregano. Stir to blend and cover the kettle or casserole closely. Cook about five minutes over moderately low heat. Do not allow the mixture to burn.
• Add the tomato paste and stir briefly. Add the chicken broth and bring to the boil.
• Rinse and drain the beans and add them to the soup. Cook, uncovered, over relatively high heat about two and one-half hours, skimming the surface occasionally to remove foam, scum and fat as it rises to the top. The soup is ready when the beans are soft and some of them have disintegrated because of the cooking heat and stirring.
• Stir in the lime juice, cayenne pepper, salt, cilantro and remaining cumin. Remove and discard the bacon rind and bay leaf.
• Ladle the soup into individual soup bowls. Serve the salsa and sour cream on the side, to be added at will. This soup is best served with jalapeno corn-bread muffins as an accompaniment.

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.