Smokey Black Bean The Bandit Soup


A hearty, warming soup that's definitely a full meal by itself. this was posted on happynicetimepeople.com, a blog that usually doesn't feature recipes... but i guess this one was so good, it had to be shared. i thought it was tasty before i added the extra black beans at the end, but i loved the texture the pureed beans gave to the soup. it's good either way, it seems. i topped my soup with homemade guacamole and pico de gallo, but other toppings like sour cream, queso fresco or toasted pumpkin seeds would be nice too.

Steps


Heat bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp , about 10 minutes.
Transfer bacon to a bowl lined with paper towels.
Reserve the bacon fat for the next step !.
Saut the onions , red and green peppers and jalapeno in bacon fat until tender , about 3 minutes.
Add garlic.
Cook 2-3 minutes more on medium heat.
In a large pot , bring the chicken stock to a boil.
Add the drained black beans , the cooked onion / pepper mixture and the cooked , crumbled bacon.
Stir , then add the ham hock , ham steak , chipotle pepper , oregano , cumin , coriander , bay leaves , molasses and salt & pepper.
Reduce heat to low and simmer over for low heat for 2-3 hours , uncovered.
Stir occasionally and test the seasonings after the first 90 minutes.
If desired , puree the two cans of rinsed black beans in a food processor.
Fold this into the soup one scoop at a time to adjust thickness.
Add as little or as much as you prefer.
Simmer until hot for 30.

Ingredients


bacon, onions, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, garlic cloves, chicken stock, dried black beans, ham hock, ham steak, chipotle peppers, dried oregano, cumin, coriander, bay leaves, molasses, salt & pepper, black beans, pico de gallo