Caribbean-Style Black Bean Soup

Amanda Beth's Note:

This is from the "Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook" for slow-cookers. I love this, and do my husband and son. Make sure to add the vinegar at the end, it makes a big, delicious difference! We like ours with fresh cornbread.

• Total Time: 12 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 12 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 lb dried black beans , washed and stones removed
• 3 onions , chopped
• 1 green pepper , chopped
• 4 garlic cloves , minced (powdered works fine, too)
• 1 ham hocks or ¾ cup cubed ham
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons vinegar

Directions:

1. Soak beans overnight in 4 quarts water.
2. Drain. Combine beans, onions, green pepper, garlic, ham, oil, cumin, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, and 3 cups fresh water.
3. Stir well.
4. Cover.
5. Cook on Low 8-10 hours, or High 4-5 hours.
6. For a thick soup, remove half of cooked bean mixture and puree until smooth in a blender or mash with potato masher.
7. Return to cooker.
8. If you like a soup-ier soup, leave as is.
9. Add vinegar and stir well.
10. Debone ham, cut into bite-sized pieces and return to soup.
11. Serve in soup bowls.
12. Can be topped with sour cream and fresh cilantro.

Reviews

[Dawn]

I loved the soup. It fit in perfectly with my diet plan. Very tasty, I wouldn't change a thing.

[circuswitch]

The soup was fairly easy to make, and tastes okay. There's nothing wrong with it, it's just not something I'd give raves to. I added a splash of lime juice in addition to the vinegar for a bit more zing.

[Kauaian cook]

We really loved the flavor of this wonderfully healthy bean soup. As per the recipe, I added the ham bone, plus some cubed ham, with the bean mixture. When I blended part of the mixure to thicken the soup, I lost some ham cubes into the blend. In the future, I will hold back the cubed ham until after the blend, to allow the chunks to remain intact. The flavor is wonderful. As others suggested, I did cut down on the salt and pepper somewhat. I've added this to my "A+ Favorites" cookbook!