This recipe will for sure become one of your favorite soups the first time you try it. It’s a Cajun version of common Cuban dish. Cajun + Cuban = Awesome in my book. It is even better if you allow the soup to cool to room temperature then refrigerate it overnight. Serve it the following day by heating it in the microwave, top with a dollop of sour cream, chopped green onions and fresh chopped cilantro. Perfection.

INGREDIENTS:

For the beans

• 1 cup black beans
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper

For the soup

• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh sour cream
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 green onion, sliced
• 1 lime, sliced into wedges

PREPARATION:

For the beans

1. Pre-soak the beans overnight or quick soak them according to directions on the packaging and strain.

2. In a stew pot over medium heat, sauté the onions, garlic and oregano in the olive oil for about 3 minutes. Add the beans, cumin, cayenne, chicken stock, salt and pepper and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are soft when pinched. Make sure to always have enough stock to cover the beans during the cooking process. If the liquid evaporates below the level of the beans, just add more stock or water.

For the soup

1. While the beans are simmering, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and sauté the onions and celery for 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers mushrooms, garlic, tomato and jalapeno and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the cumin and oregano then immediately add this veggie mixture to the pot of cooked beans. You may need to add more stock or water to maintain the proper consistency.

2. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Then cook at medium heat for another 5 -8 minutes.

3. Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top sprinkled with green onions and cilantro. Squeeze a small amount of lime juice over the whole bowl. Or better yet, let it cool to room temperature, refrigerate overnight and serve the next day. The flavors will me much more married and concentrated.

Serves 10

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