Puerto Rican Style Black Bean Soup Recipes

PUERTO RICAN-STYLE BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Stir 1 tablespoon seasoning blend in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until fragrant and slightly darker in color, about 4 minutes. Transfer seasoning to processor. Add black beans, vegetable broth and olive oil to processor and purée until mixture is almost smooth, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Transfer purée to same saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Mix in lime juice. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with lime wedges.

ABUELO PELáEZ'S FRIJOLES NEGROS (BLACK BEANS)

Steps:

• In a large pot, soak beans overnight in 10 cups of water.
• Add 1 tablespoon oil, the onion, bell pepper, garlic cloves and bay leaf to beans, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour, checking regularly and skimming the foam that forms on top.
• Meanwhile, make the sofrito. Warm remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the half onion, 1 bell pepper and 3 garlic cloves and sauté for about 5 minutes until soft. Add 1 bay leaf, cumin, oregano, black pepper and salt, and cook for 2 minutes more.
• Add the sofrito to beans. Stir in sherry vinegar, wine and olives, and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened and cooked through. Remove both bay leaves, and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and add sugar. Serve as soup or a side dish, or over white rice.

PUERTO RICAN BEAN & HAM SOUP

Steps:

• Soak beans overnight in plenty of cold water to cover.
• The next day, pick over and rinse beans well. Place in pan with 8 cups cold water. Bring to boil and immediately reduce to simmer. Keeping partially covered, simmer until beans are tender, about 35 minutes.
• Meanwhile, saute bacon until it begins to color. Reserve 2 tablespoons fat and drain off any excess. (If preferred, all the bacon fat can be drained and replaced with 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil.)
• Make a SOFRITO by sauteing the onion, garlic, bell pepper, black pepper and cilantro or cilantro until wilted in the hot oil. Add ham and salami and saute another 1 or 2 minutes. Add SOFRITO to beans, using water from beans to loosen any last bits from bottom. Consistency of soup should be thick, but not like a stew. If necessary, add enough water to the pan to give it soup-like consistency. Simmer 15 minutes. Add salt, spaghetti and tomato sauce to beans. Cook 7 more minutes. Taste for salt and serve.