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Hearty Ham Black Bean Soup |
Ingredients
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* 2 Tbsp cooking oil
* 1 medium sweet onion, diced
* 2 celery ribs, diced (including the leaves)
* 1 regular carrot (not baby), peeled and diced small
* 1 garlic clove, grated or minced
* 2 cans (14 oz size) chicken or vegetable broth
* 1 cup diced cooked ham (or 1/2 cup bacon or other salty meat)
* 1/4 tsp cumin
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp black pepper
* 3 cans (15 oz size) black beans, drained and rinsed (about 4 to 5 cups cooked beans)
* Optional: shredded Cheddar cheese and sour cream for garnish
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Directions
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1. Put a Dutch oven over medium heat on stove top.
2. Pour in oil, add onion, celery, and carrot; cook stirring for 4 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add broth and bring soup just up to a slow boil.
3. Turn heat down to low; add ham and seasonings, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add black beans, stir to combine, and simmer on very low heat for 10 minutes.
4. To thicken soup, scoop out about 3 to 4 cups of soup (mostly black beans) and put in food processor or blender. Blend until smooth making a puree. Add puree back to soup pot, stir to combine and serve.
5. Top with a sprinkling of cheese and a dollop of sour cream if desired.
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Story
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Black bean soup is all about the seasoning, and ham adds just the right amount of salty-smoky taste. I also like to choose a ham that's honey smoked or maple cured to add a touch of sweetness to the soup.
If you decide not to use ham, be sure to use a salty meat or similar ingredient, like bacon or salt pork. Even a smoky sausage or bratwurst will work. If you want to omit the meat entirely, choose smoky paprika as a seasoning. If you like the idea of the sweetness from a honey-cured or maple-cured ham, just drizzle in a touch of honey or maple syrup. Taste profile solved!
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