Ok, I had a yellow pepper instead of a green one in the fridge this time. Man people can be so picky.
Here is another excellent hearty winter soup to warm you up after a day of trudging through the snow and wind.
Black Bean Soup
- 1 pound black beans
- 1 ham hock or ham bone
- 1 onion chopped medium
- 1 green pepper chopped medium
- 2 jalapeños diced fine
- 1 28-ounce can tomatoes
- 1 quart beef broth
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- marjoram
- Black pepper/salt
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- 2 green onions chopped* optional
Rinse black beans under cold water. Place in pan and cover with water. Soak overnight. Add ham bone and cook on low until beans are tender and water is absorbed, about 3 hours. Add water as needed and skim any foam that rises to top. Remove bone and let cool. Chop meat from bone and add to beans. Add remaining ingredients except rice and green onions. Cook on low until done, about another two hours. Scoop some rice into each bowl. Cover with black beans and garnish with green onion.
I love this recipe…as it is a little bit easier to follow than ones in bigger cookbooks. I do wish beans didn’t require so much work. They are great for you! How many meals do you plan ahead of time? I am spoiled by my own invented 30 minute meals.
Usually the most planning I do is in the morning when I put out whatever meat we need to thaw for dinner. For big meals or parties I may spend a few days putting together the menu, but usually weekday meals are quick and simple. I really like this black bean recipe because it follows the Cuban tradition of cooking the beans twice.