Black Bean Soup

It was one of those days when I wasn’t particularly motivated but wanted something homemade and healthy. I had picked up a copy of Mark Bittman’s book “How to Cook Everything Vegetarian” at the library earlier and, while flipping through it, the black bean soup caught my fancy. Not just for the lack of motivation on my part but for a now distant memory of a younger Short North.

Black bean soup reminds me of working at Tapa Tio in my 20s’ just after a great stint at A la Carte. Bruce Hildreth and his business partner Hartley were an amazing team to work under. It was one of those brilliant moments in the history of the Short North where something new happened at the hands of a couple talented chefs with a great staff. I crossed paths with some of the best people I have had the privilege to become colleagues & friends with… all during those years of waiting tables.

Sadly Bruce died in 2005 but his legacy lives on … and, every now and again, I remember those frenetic nights with plates flying in and out of the kitchen with the ubiquitous Tapa Tio signature of smoked chipotle peppers and, of course, black bean soup.

While I’m no chef, I do get lucky in the kitchen now and again. So, back to soup.

_The following recipe was adjusted for what I had on hand.
_

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion chopped
• 5 cloves minced garlic
• 1 giant tbsp. chili powder (from Texas)
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 2 tbsp. dark rum
• 3 cups cooked black beans
• 1 quart vegetable stock
• Salt and fresh ground pepper
• Sour cream, chopped flat leaf parsley & grated gouda cheese for garnish

Process

1. Sautee the onions in oil within a deep sauté pan over medium heat until softened.
2. Add garlic, chili powder and cumin stirring for another minute or so (usually when you smell the garlic but no longer).
3. Stir in the rum, cook for a minute, add black beans, stock, salt, pepper; turn heat to medium high and bring to a boil.
4. Turn heat down to medium low for 10 minutes.
5. Take ¼ of the soup off to the blender and puree (here’s where an immersion blender would be nice… Christmas list).
6. Pour puree back into soup.
7. Serve with garnish.

Can be refrigerated for 2 days ahead of time and freezes well.