Breaking news, though: I've recently learned that the way to make slow-cooker recipes truly delicious, venturing into favorite-dish territory, is when you don't just dump the ingredients into the pot, e.g., you brown the meat and/or vegetables in a saute pan beforehand. This is kind of killing my understanding of why you'd want a crockpot, but these fussier recipes are much more intriguing to me, even if they require a bit of prep work first thing in the morning.
So early one Wednesday morning I chopped onion, fried bacon, and let spices bloom into my freshly washed hair before heading out to work, and all day I wondered how this recipe for black bean soup now sitting in the crockpot would compare to other recipes I've tried on the stovetop. I'll tell you: it's now my black bean soup for the ages. Totally worth the early-morning effort and the strange looks from coworkers when they get a whiff of cumin every time they get near you.
The recipe is adapted from an eye-catching turquoise cookbook called I [heart] My Slow Cooker by Beverly LeBlanc.
Smoky & Spicy Black Bean Soup
1 T. olive oil
1/2 c. chopped smoked bacon
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 T. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 1/2 c. vegetable stock, plus extra, if needed
1 1/4 c. dry black beans
1 T. dried oregano
1 T. dried thyme
1 dried chipotle pepper
Heat 1 T. olive oil in a large saucepan over high heat. When slick and shimmering, lower the heat to low and add the bacon, frying for 1-2 minutes until the fat is rendered and bacon is crisp. Transfer the bacon to the slow cooker with a slotted spoon.
Pour off any excess fat from the pan, but leave about 1 tablespoon. Add the onion and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, cloves and cayenne and let the flavors bloom for 2 or so minutes, until the onion is soft.
Add the stock, beans, oregano, thyme, and chipotle and bring to a vigorous boil for 10 minutes. Transfer all the contents to the slow cooker and add extra stock or water to just cover the beans, if necessary.
Cover and cook on low for 10 hours, or until the beans are tender. Remove the chipotle chili. Using a blender or immersion blender, puree a portion of the soup (about half, or eyeball it if you're using the immersion blender) and reincorporate it back in the pot, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with garnishes and a nice cold Pacifico with lime!
For garnish, consider:
avocado
lime juice
salt and freshly ground pepper
feta or cotija
greek yogurt or sour cream
chopped cilantro
tortillas
chopped cherry tomatoes or red bell pepper
scallions
The recipe is adapted from an eye-catching turquoise cookbook called I [heart] My Slow Cooker by Beverly LeBlanc.
Smoky & Spicy Black Bean Soup
1 T. olive oil
1/2 c. chopped smoked bacon
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 T. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 1/2 c. vegetable stock, plus extra, if needed
1 1/4 c. dry black beans
1 T. dried oregano
1 T. dried thyme
1 dried chipotle pepper
Heat 1 T. olive oil in a large saucepan over high heat. When slick and shimmering, lower the heat to low and add the bacon, frying for 1-2 minutes until the fat is rendered and bacon is crisp. Transfer the bacon to the slow cooker with a slotted spoon.
Pour off any excess fat from the pan, but leave about 1 tablespoon. Add the onion and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, cloves and cayenne and let the flavors bloom for 2 or so minutes, until the onion is soft.
Add the stock, beans, oregano, thyme, and chipotle and bring to a vigorous boil for 10 minutes. Transfer all the contents to the slow cooker and add extra stock or water to just cover the beans, if necessary.
Cover and cook on low for 10 hours, or until the beans are tender. Remove the chipotle chili. Using a blender or immersion blender, puree a portion of the soup (about half, or eyeball it if you're using the immersion blender) and reincorporate it back in the pot, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with garnishes and a nice cold Pacifico with lime!
For garnish, consider:
avocado
lime juice
salt and freshly ground pepper
feta or cotija
greek yogurt or sour cream
chopped cilantro
tortillas
chopped cherry tomatoes or red bell pepper
scallions
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