Cuban-Style Black Bean Soup

by Michael Lomonaco and Andrew Friedman
from Nightly Specials
(William Morrow, 2004)
Serves 6 to 8

Black bean soup crosses many oceans and borders and is popular in a number of cultures around the world, each of which has adapted it to include its own indigenous ingredients. Most people, however, associate black bean soup with Cuban cooking, the direction taken here with smoked ham hock, cumin, and rum.—Michael Lomonaco and Andrew Friedman

convert Ingredients
1 pound dried black (turtle) beans, picked over for dirt or debris
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 smoked ham hock, or other smoked ham product
3 medium white onions, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 large red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup tomato paste
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup light rum
Sour cream
Chopped scallions or chives

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Method
1. Rinse the beans in cold water, drain them, put in a bowl, cover by 1-inch with cold water, and let soak in the refrigerator overnight. (Alternatively, you can quick-soak the beans by covering them with water in a pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let the beans soak until tender, 1 to 2 hours.)

2. When ready to make the soup, drain the beans and set them aside.

3. Pour the oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot and set it over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the ham hock, onions, peppers, celery, chili powder, and cumin. Saute until the vegetables are softened but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring to make sure you don’t scorch the tomato or garlic.

4. Pour 4 quarts water into the pot, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add the beans to the pot, stir, and when the water returns to a boil, lower the heat and let simmer until the beans are tender but still holding their shape, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

5. Remove the pot from the heat and season the soup with salt and pepper. Use tongs to remove the ham hock and set it aside to cool. The beans are like molten lava at this point and ready to explode, so let them cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then purée with an immersion blender or in small batches in a standing blender. When the hock is cool enough to handle, pick off the meat and set it aside. The soup and meat can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated separately for up to 1 week.

6. When ready to serve, return the soup to a boil and add the rum and ham. Cook for 2 minutes more.

7. Ladle the soup into 6 to 8 bowls and garnish each serving with a tablespoon of sour cream and a scattering of scallions.

Recipe © 2004 Michael Lomonaco. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.