[CH] Black Bean Soup

Judy Howle (howle@ebicom.net)
Mon, 02 Feb 1998 08:02:28 -0600 

I ran across this recipe today.  It was in the Ask the Chef feature.
Someone requested it because it was very good.  Snipped for brevity.


BLACK BEAN SOUP
For the Philadelphia Daily News 
by Aliza Green

A native of Mexico City, Carlos Melendez moved to Philadelphia from Cancun,
Mexico, five years ago. He worked in restaurants in Central America, Mexico
City and Cancun since the age of 14. In Philadelphia, Melendez moved up from
busboy to waiter to manager at the local restaurants Catalina and Tapas. He
opened Coyote Crossing a little more than a year ago with his partner (and
ex-wife)  Jennifer Officer.

                  In Mexico, black beans are often cooked with a special
pungent-smelling herb with long, jagged-edged leaves called epazote. Like
cilantro leaf, epazote has a powerful aroma and flavor,  which can take a
little getting used to.. While you can certainly  make a wonderful black
bean soup without epazote, the herb gives an authentic flavor to Mexican
bean dishes. You can order dried epazote, along with other Latino foods like
chiles and posole from the Melissa's Specialty Foods catalog at 800-588-0151. 

                  COYOTE CROSSING'S BLACK BEAN SOUP

                  3 cups black beans
                  4 cups water 
                  4 slices bacon, chopped
                  1 small sprig epazote
                  1 tablespoon dried oregano
                  _1/4cup chopped onion
                  _1/4onion
                  _1/4cup butter
                    cup heavy cream
                  _1/4cup chopped red bell pepper
                  _1/4chopped green pepper
                  2 cloves garlic (1 clove chopped, 1 whole clove)
                  1 teaspoon salt
                  Garnish: 
                  _1/4cup mozzarella cheese, crispy bacon bits, chopped
onion and sour cream

                  Soak the black beans in cold water to cover for 12 hours
(or overnight). Drain and rinse the soaked  beans. In a large soup pot,
combine the beans, epazote, one clove garlic and quarter-onion. Bring to the
boil. Reduce heat and simmer one hour, or until the beans are very soft.
Take pot off the heat.
                  Remove and discard the onion. Taking care, because the
soup is hot, blend the soup. (Start with a  small amount in the blender,
then add more as the mixture blends.)

                  In a large saute pan, brown bacon bits. Remove and
reserve, leaving the bacon fat in the pan. Add chopped onion, peppers and
garlic with the butter and fry until the onion is translucent, taking care
not to burn the garlic. Add the blender contents to the pan and bring to the
boil while stirring. Turn off                   the stove and stir the heavy
cream into the pan. Now strain everything through a sieve or a food mill. 

                  Top each bowl of soup with the optional sour cream. Serve
the remaining garnishes in small bowls to be added by each person to their
own bowl.





Judy Howle
howle@ebicom.net

Flavors of the South		
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