Black Bean and Italian Sausage Soup
The colors don’t do justice to this highly flavorful soup, full of abundant fiber and smokiness from the sausage.
The black bean scared me when it first hit the scene in Mexican American food some years ago- not because they were black but because they were often hard and not as creamy or flavorful as its cousins, pinto or even kidney beans.
But after multiple exposures to them in flavorful burritos and in one of my favorites, a Texas caviar that my daughter made, I warmed up to them, or they to me.
I had dabbled with black bean soups in the past and those beans were definitely soft but the soups lacked a depth of flavor that I missed. At long last, I discovered a recipe that solved this problem with an Italian/Mexican fusion. Enter the flavor, with Italian Sausage (chorizo or bacon would also provide a flavorful performance) and for even more flavor, peppers, mild or hot, tons of garlic, some zing from lime juice and you have a soup worth starring in the dinner role! This I can lap up and creamy beans? So they are. Note: Don’t judge the soup by its dark sludgy color. Lighten it up with a dollop of sour cream, strips of red pepper and crunchy corn chips. Now here’s a black bean soup you’ve gotta love!
Black Bean and Italian Sausage Soup
1/2 pound dried black beans
3/4 pound whole sweet Italian sausage and 1/4 pound whole hot Italian sausage (or all sweet Italian sausage if you don't like the heat.)
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 ribs celery, sliced
8 cups chicken or beef stock
1/2 can tomato paste
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 cup red wine
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
sour cream and slivers of red pepper for garnish
-Place the beans in a large, deep bowl. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Place in the refrigerator and soak overnight or on the counter for at least 4 - 6 hours. Drain before using.
-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place the sausages on the pan and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool on a plate lined with paper towels. Cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices and set aside.
-Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Saute for 10 minutes. Add the black beans and saute an additional 5 minutes. Pour in the stock, tomato paste, and fennel seeds and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 1 1/4 hours or until the beans are very tender. Remove from the heat.
-Puree the soup in the pot using a hand blender or working in batches in a regular blender, until very smooth. Return the pot to the stove. Add the wine, sausage slices, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, vinegar, salt and pepper. Simmer an additonal 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper or red pepper flakes as desired.
-Garnish with a dab of sour cream and a couple of red pepper slices.
-Serves 5 - 6
The addition of sour cream and sweet red peppers on top add a vibrant contrast to the flavors. Eat with a hearty, crusty bread.
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
**This is the kind of soup that tastes better the day after preparation. The flavor deepens and becomes richer as it chills!
**Try topping with slivered corn tortillas fried until crisp and diced green onions as well.
**I prefer to use the sausage, peeled of its casing and broken up then browned in a bit of oil in a frying pan, avoiding eating the casing which can sometimes be tough. Stir the sausage into the soup mixture at the very last, after the soup has been pureed.
