Black Bean and Chorizo Soup

Today's recipe was inspired by a trip to the local Mexican Grocery store. I was in search for some basic exotic ingredients. I needed some fresh chorizo, cilantro, guajillo powder, some dried powdered shrimp, some achiote paste, tamarind paste, cumin seeds, and dried peppers. It got me thinking about reworking some of my favorite recipes.

I love black bean soup, but many recipes I have used leave you feeling very heavy. I decided to play a bit and came up with the following recipe. It is a flavorful, hearty but light soup. The taste balances the savory richness of the beans, corn chips and chorizo, with the heat of the peppers, the tartness of the limes and the freshness of the herbs, lettuce and tomatoes. The soup has many textures and colors making it appealing to the mouth and the eye.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups canned Black beans
• 1 cup Red Onion chopped
• 1 cup Green Peppers, Raw, Chopped
• 1 cup Jalapeno Peppers seeded, finely chopped
• 6 oz Chorizo
• 4 cups fat free Chicken Broth
• 1 cup Tomatoes diced
• 4 cloves Garlic minced
• 1 tbs fresh Thyme Leaves
• 1 tbs fresh Marjoram
• 1 tbs Cumin ground
• 1 tsp fresh Oregano
• 1 Bay Leaf dry
• 1 tbs Guajilo Chili Powder
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil

Garnish

• ½ cup Tomatoes diced
• 1 cup Lettuce finely shredded
• 1 cup Tortilla Chips crumbled
• ½ cup Cilantro chopped
• Lime wedges

Preparation

• Heat a heavy 4 quart pan, add the olive oil to the pan.
• Add the onions and peppers to the oil.
• Sweat them until the onions begin to become translucent.
• Add the garlic to the onions and peppers.
• Season with salt and black pepper.
• Add the chorizo and cook until the chorizo begins to release it's fat.
• Add the drained beans and stir well.
• Add the guajillo powder and cumin, cook a couple minutes.
• Add the bay leaf, oregano, thyme and marjoram, cook a couple minutes.
• Add the diced tomatoes, cook a couple minutes.
• Add the chicken broth, simmer 10 minutes
• Remove the pan from the heat.
• Remove the bay leaf.
• Ladle into bowls and begin garnishing.
• Add some cilantro onto the soup.
• Add some lettuce onto the cilantro.
• Add some corn chips onto the lettuce,
• Add the fresh diced tomato onto the lettuce
• Squeeze some lime juice onto the soup
• Place a lime wedge on top for a garnish.

Yield: 6 servings