Cuban-Style Black Bean Soup with Plantain Croutons

Instructions

1. 1Rinse the about 450 g of Dried Black Beans. Place them in a large bowl and cover with water. Let them soak for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
2. 2Drain the soaked about 450 g of Dried Black Beans. Place the beans in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the 8 cups of Water. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the beans are tender when pierced with a fork.
3. 3While the beans are simmering, prepare the vegetables. Dice the 1 medium Onion. Cut the 1 Green Bell Pepper into 1.27 cm pieces. Mince the 4 cloves Garlic. Heat the 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil in a 25.4 cm skillet over medium heat (162.8°C / 160°C). Add the diced onion and 1.27 cm pieces of green bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, or until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more, until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
4. 4Add the cooked vegetables from the skillet to the pot with the simmering beans. Stir in the 1 teaspoon of Cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of Oregano, and 1 bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue to simmer, covered, for another 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to combine. The soup should be thick and fragrant.
5. 5While the soup finishes simmering, prepare the plantain croutons. Peel the 1 Green Plantain. Cut it into 1.27 cm cubes. Heat enough additional olive oil in a separate 25.4 cm skillet over medium-high heat (176.7°C / 175°C) to generously coat the bottom of the pan. Carefully add the 1.27 cm cubes of green plantain to the hot oil. Fry, stirring occasionally, for 5-8 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the plantain croutons from the skillet and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
6. 6Before serving, carefully locate and remove the 1 bay leaf from the soup. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed. Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with the crispy plantain croutons.

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