Cuban Black Bean Soup - Healthier Version

Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 lb dried black beans, sorted and rinsed
• 9 cups water
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cored & seeded (or 6 cachucha chile peppers)
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 medium onions
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 clove, whole
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 green pepper, finely chopped
• 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 2 ounces canadian bacon, thinly slivered
• 1/2 cup dry wine
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
• 1 teaspoon oregano, dried
• salt & fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 cup nonfat sour cream
• 1/4 cup scallion top, finely chopped

Recipe

• 1 combine beans and water and let soak overnight.
• 2 next day, add chile peppers (or 1/2 red pepper), 2 cloves of garlic to the beans. cut an onion in half, "pin" the bay leaf to one half with the clove, add onion halves to beans.
• 3 bring to boil, reduce heat, cover loosely and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour, until beans are tender.
• 4 chop remaining onion, mince remaining garlic.
• 5 heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.
• 6 add onions, garlic, chopped peppers, celery and bacon to skillet. cook for 4 minutes until soft, but not brown.
• 7 stir veggie/bacon mixture into beans. add wine, vinegar, cumin and oregano.
• 8 season with salt and pepper.
• 9 cover, reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes until beans are soft.
• 10 remove bay leaf, halved onions and whole garlic cloves.
• 11 blend 2 cups of soup in blender, return to soup.
• 12 season to taste with additional salt, pepper and vinegar, to taste.
• 13 serve topped with sour cream and scallion tops.
• 14 (preparation time does not include overnight soaking).