Black Bean Soup with Chipotle Chiles

Name: Black Bean Soup with Chipotle Chiles
Yield: Serves 6 (Makes 9 cups)
Ingredients: 1 pound, dried black beans (2 cups), rinsed and picked over; 4 ounces, ham steak, trimmed of rind; 2 , bay leaves; 5 cups, water; 1/8 teaspoon, baking soda; 1 teaspoon, table salt; 3 tablespoons, olive oil; 2 , large onions, chopped fine (about 3 cups); 1 , large carrot, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup); 3 ribs, celery, chopped fine (about 1 cup); 1/2 teaspoon, table salt; 5 - 6 medium cloves, garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 1/2 tablespoon); 1 1/2 tablespoons, ground cumin; 1 tablespoon, minced chipotle chiles in adobo; 2 teaspoons, adobo sauce; 6 cups, low-sodium chicken broth; 2 tablespoons, cornstarch; 2 tablespoon, water; 2 tablespoons, lime juice, from 1 to 2 limes; , Lime wedges (optional); Minched, fresh cilantro leaves (optional); Red, onion, finely diced (optional); , Avocado, diced medium (optional); , Sour cream (optional)

19 comments

Appears in Cook's Illustrated January/February 2005

We wanted a soup that had a smoky flavor, deeply colored broth, and perfectly cooked beans.

SERVES6 (Makes 9 cups)

TIME3 hours

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

For a black bean soup recipe that would produce an attractive, dark-colored soup full of sweet, spicy, smoky flavors, we went with dried beans, which release flavor into the broth as they cook, unlike canned beans. Furthermore, they proved ...

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