Black Bean Soup
|Black turtle beans||1 Pound (About 2 1/2 Cups)|
|Ham hock/Ham bone / 1/4 pound smoked pork neck bones||1 Pound, smoked|
|Onion||1 Medium, chopped|
|Dried red chili pods/1 tablespoon mild chili powder||1 , seeds and veins removed|
|Ground cumin||1⁄2 Teaspoon|
|Freshly ground black pepper||To Taste|
|Sour cream||1⁄2 Cup (8 tbs) (Optional)|
1 In a large deep pan,place carefully picked beans with ham hock or bones and cover with water by atleast an inch.Add onion,chile,cumin,bay leaf and bring to a boil.Cover and simmer until the beans are tender,about 2 1/2 hours.
2 Check the soup from time to time to make sure the beans are still covered with water.Add boiling water if necessary.
3 Remove the ham hock and let it cool.Cut meat off the bone,shred it finally and set aside.Discard the skin and bones.
4 Puree the soup in a blender,food processor or food mill.Return soup to the pot,add shredded meat and season to taste.
5 if the soup is too thick,add a little stock instead of water to correct the consistancy.Simmer for 15 inutes before serving.
6 Swirl a little lightly beaten sour cream (optional) into the centre of each bowl.