Favorite of kids. Puree soup base to hide vegetables. Can be made without or with chili for extra heat and flavor. Pan roasted aromatics, roasted cumin seeds, toasted chilis, reserved vegetable broth and slow cooked beans all contribute to amazing taste in simple soup.
PREPARATION
- Pot of Beans
BASE
- 1/2 onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 rib celery
- 1 carrot
- 4 plum tomatoes
SPICE
- 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
FLAVOR
- 1 roasted New Mexico or chili (optional)
- 3 cups vegetable broth
MAIN
- 4 cups black beans, cooked
In toaster oven roast chili. In stainless steel pot at medium high heat toast cumin seeds. In stainless steel pot brown onions, then garlic, celery and carrot, adding tomatoes or splash of moisture and stirring with spoon as needed to deglaze bottom of pot. Add roast chili and toasted cumin seeds to vegetables. Transfer vegetables to blender and cover with vegetable broth, and blend to puree. Transfer puree back to stainless steel pot, add reserved vegetable broth and beans. Flavor with salt to taste.
TIPS
- Brown Onions (Caramelize): In stainless steel pot on stove at medium high heat, sauté onions, stirring occasionally, until start to brown. If onions start to dry and brown too much, add a splash of moisture, such as water, broth or cut tomatoes.
- Toast Seeds (Popcorn): Toast cumin seeds in stainless steel pot on stove at preheated low or medium high heat, until seeds become aromatic and begin to pop like popcorn, about 30-60s. Shake pot as needed to turn seeds to heat evenly and avoid burning. High sides on pot keep any popping seeds inside pot.
- Roast Fresh Chili (Toaster Oven, Comal or Open Flame): Roast fresh chili in toaster oven 450F for 20m, checking and turning half way, or in stainless steel pot or comal on stove at medium high heat, or over gas stove flame with metal tongs.
Michael Swarm 