Black Bean Soup

Black Bean soup is such a treat on a cloudy and cold day in the Pacific Northwest. You can serve this with sweet corn bread or a salad. This is best when the black beans have been soaked with allspice and cayenne but for those in a rush, you can use organic canned black beans. This is another soup recipe from Susy's college days, adapted from the original Moosewood Cookbook.

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
2 diced medium carrots
2 cups dried black beans or (2-3 15-oz cans)
6 cups water (start with 4 if using canned beans)
Dash Allspice for soaking & dash within the soup
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large russet potato, diced
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
Dash sweet paprika
1 can Muir Glen fire-roasted tomatoes (optional)

Optional Toppings:
Sour Cream
Cilantro
Cotija Cheese

To prepare the dried beans, rinse then soak in 6 cups of water 4-6 hours or overnight in allspice and cayenne. Place the soaked beans in a large soup pot with 4 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer until tender about 1 1/2 hours.

Heat butter in a medium sized skillet. Add the onion, garlic and carrots. Saute over medium heat until the carrots are just tender. Add the potato, cumin, coriander and salt. Saute until the potatoes are tender, about 10 -15 minutes more. Add the sauteed mixture to the beans.

Puree some (or all) of the soup in a blender or food processor to make it extra rich and creamy. Return to the soup-pot, simmer over very low heat 10-15 minutes more. Serve topped with sour cream, cotija and/or cilantro.