Siddity In The City

Bitch-in-Kitch Episode II: Black Bean Soup for the Single Soul.

Last night, after reading the exercise chapters of Bob Greene's new book, Total Body Makeover, I decided to cook some yummy, healthy black bean soup to help me get through this whole bootcamp thing. I usually wing it in the kitchen, and with something as simple as black bean soup, I went recipe-commando, so there won't be any exact measurements for you in this one. It's quick and dirty cooking, my favorite method. I use whatever's on hand and add until I like the taste. This happened to be one of my better efforts. 2 15.5 oz. cans of black beans 1/3 large sweet onion, diced 1/2 red bell pepper, diced 1 jalapeno, diced 1 bay leaf 2-3 tbsp. olive oil 1 tbsp. minced garlic (or about 1-2 minced fresh cloves of garlic) 2 c. water Sea salt to taste Cumin to taste (optional--as much cilantro as you like) In 3 qt. saucepan, saute onions, garlic, bay leaf, jalapeno and bell pepper in olive oil over medium-low heat, until onions are transparent. While onions and peppers are cooking, open and drain both cans of beans. Leave one can of beans whole; mash other can of beans until they form a paste (easiest to do this right in the can with a fork or wooden spoon). Add whole beans to onion mixture and stir. Add water and bring to a low boil. Add bean paste and stir until the paste is dispersed and soup has thickened. Add cumin to taste (I like it a lot so I add at least a full tsp., sometimes more). Add cilantro and salt to taste. Simmer over low heat for another 10 or so minutes, then remove from heat. For best flavor, let the soup sit overnight--I left mine out on the stove, but stick it in the fridge if you want. I had the soup for lunch today topped with a sprinkling of diced peppers and onions, nonfat plain organic yogurt (yeah, I could use nonfat sour cream, but, you know, how do they make cream nonfat without doing some seriously shady things to it?) and some decidedly fattylicious home-made guacamole, which I whipped up using my handy-dandy hand blender and the cilantro and chili-sauce dips I keep getting every time I order sushi from Ruby Foo's. Nummy. Now, this soup really is soup for the single--or very solidly attached. Because you know what? It's beans, onions, garlic and, with the toppings, dairy and avocado, and all of those ingredients have been known to, for some people, create a little action in the plumbing, if you know what I mean. So don't go making it if you know your relationship is on the rocks and one false poot could send it hurtling over the edge, okay?

posted by Sid @ 2/17/2005 06:44:00 PM