Dana’s Best Black Bean Soup Ever
[From the stabenow.com vaults, March 5, 2011]
There is nothing in this world like a bowl of hot and hearty soup on a cold winter’s day. As anyone knows who follows this blog, I love a good soup, but this may be my best effort yet.
Put a little olive oil in a saucepan over high heat. Add chopped onions and cubed pork and brown. At the last minute add some minced garlic.
Stir in chili powder, mix well. Add half a can of black beans.
Pour in enough chicken broth to not quite cover, and one chipotle chile. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let cook for three to five minutes, long enough to steep the flavors but not so long the beans get mushy.
While waiting, put some chopped cilantro in a bowl. Top with a big dollop of yoghurt.
Finish the soup with the juice of half a lime. Discard the chipotle chile and pour soup over yoghurt and cilantro. Eat immediately.
The best tasting soup I have ever made in my life.
Cook’s tips:
*Add chili powder at your own discretion. The first time I made this, I put in a quarter teaspoon. This time, I put in half a teaspoon, and it was just about right. If you’re fond of the roof of your mouth, you’ll want to be careful.
*It helps to have a friend who went to India bring you back some chili powder from the local market. But I’m sure ordinary McCormick’s chili powder works just fine, too. She said kindly.
*The first time I made this without meat. The second time, I used a piece of boneless pork rib. I’m betting chicken would work in this soup, too, and even beef for that matter.
Cook’s homage:
*This recipe is a rif on the spicy black-bean soup Mark Bittman wrote about in his customizable soup column.
