SPICY BLACK BEAN SOUP
1 16 oz bag Dried black beans
½ Medium White onion, chopped finely
1 Garlic clove, minced
½ Jalapeño, minced
1 tsp Chili powder
1 Tbs Cumin
1 Ham hock
1 14 oz can Diced tomatoes (salt free)
2 Cups Chopped carrots
1 Cup Chopped celery
1 Parsnip, chopped (optional)
2 Cups Corn
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Rinse beans with cold water in a colander. In a large Dutch oven, cover beans with cold water and let them soak overnight.
The next day, drain the beans and rinse with water. In the same pot, cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil. Saute the onion, jalapeno, and garlic, mix in the chili powder and cumin, add the ham hock, beans and enough water to cover beans (about 4 cups). Bring to a boil; turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 1 to 2 hours, or until the beans are soft. Let the pot cool and refrigerator overnight. The fat will rise to the surface.
The next day, take the fat off the surface. Cut the meat from the ham hock and add the meat to the pot, add the tomatoes, carrots, celery, parsnip, and the corn. Bring to a boil, turn heat down and cook for 1 hour, or until the vegetables are cooked. After the vegetables are cooked, add salt to taste and squeeze lemon juice into the soup.
Servings: 8
Cooking Tips:
Guest chef, Christine, serves this with a dollop of lowfat yogurt and sprinkled with lowfat cheese.
She also prefers some crusty bread and Zorba recommended his favorite No-Knead bread recipe.
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