Cuban Black Bean Soup

Instructions

1. 1Rinse the about 450 g dried black beans and place them in a large bowl. Cover the beans with plenty of water and let them soak for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
2. 2Drain and rinse the soaked about 450 g dried black beans. Transfer the beans to a large, heavy-bottomed pot and add the 8 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the beans are tender.
3. 3While the beans are simmering, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in an approximately 25 cm skillet over medium heat (163°C). Add the 1 medium onion, cut into 1.27 cm pieces, and the 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1.27 cm pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
4. 4Add the 4 cloves of garlic, minced, along with the 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more until fragrant.
5. 5Carefully add the cooked vegetable mixture from the skillet to the large pot with the tender black beans. Stir in the 2 cups of vegetable broth and the 1 bay leaf. Increase the heat to medium (177°C), bring the soup to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
6. 6Remove and discard the 1 bay leaf from the pot. Use an immersion blender to carefully blend the soup directly in the pot until it is partially smooth, leaving some whole beans for texture. Alternatively, you can ladle about 2 cups of the soup into a regular blender, blend until partially smooth, and return it to the pot.
7. 7Stir in the 2 tablespoons of lime juice. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
8. 8Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon of sour cream and 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro.

Substitutions

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