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JAMAICAN BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH CILANTRO CREAM
For the longest time I've had a bag of dried black beans in my cupboard. I don't remember when I bought them and I don't know what I bought them for. Ususally I keep cans of various beans on hand, rather than dried. So for several weeks now, the thought of making something with them has been in the back of my mind, but I'd always put it off since using dried beans involves a bit of a time commitment. Either you soak them over night or you quick soak them, which depending on the bean, can still take almost two hours. Not too quick. Since Monday was President's Day and even though I did have to work, the powers that be let us leave early. Granted with the gift of more time that usual after work, I decided to tackle my black bean project.
This recipe come from Sarah Foster's ,[url=http://nikefree.mobilejeti.com]nike free tilbud[/url].
The aromatic smell of this soup while it was cooking was amazing. Fruity and spicy. As great as it smelled, it tasted even better. Most black bean soups I've encountered are kind of samey, either they taste like a soupier black bean dip or there is the overwhelming heat of chipotle. This one is slightly different thanks to the apple, basil and the fresh lime juice, but those subtle differences really make it stand out. I pureed about half the soup but I think you could almost not puree it at all. The chunks of apple looked really pretty floating amongst the black beans. And again I hate to say it, but using dried beans does make a difference in the texture. They retain their shape very well without getting mushy, even after reheating. This would be a great candidate for freezing. The cookbook suggests that it could be served over rice, but I think it's great on its own.
Made this recipe just last week for friends who given me a ham bone hoping I would do something with it for them in return. The husband is currently going through treatment for Lymphoma . How could I say "no?" So the only alteration I made was to cook the beans with the ham bone. Plus I pureed all of it. The ham added a smokey element to the fruit and heat. Good and complex especially with that fabulous lime/cilantro sour cream. Served the soup over rice with my favorite simple salad of mixed greens, tomatoes, green pepper and avocado dressed with lime juice and olive oil. Now that what I call the perfect healing meal.