Brazilian Orange & Black Bean Soup

I have served this recipe as soon as its cooked, as leftovers the next day, and even out of the freezer. It is extremely versatile - for brunch with tortillas, dinner with cornbread, or a soup and salad lunch. I always get tons of compliments. When I reheat, I re-season a bit and it also tends to thicken up over time. From one of the Moosewood cookbooks.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 2  cups black beans
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 2  cups onions, chopped (about 1.5 large onions)
• 10  medium garlic cloves, crushed
• 2  tablespoons cumin
• 2 -2 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1  medium carrot, diced
• 1  medium bell pepper, diced
• 1 1⁄2 cups  orange juice
•  black pepper
•  cayenne
• 2  diced tomatoes (optional)
•  sour cream (optional)
•  cilantro (optional)
•  salsa (optional)

Directions

1. Soak beans in plent of water for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight).
2. Place the soaked beans in a kettle or dutch oven with 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until tender (about 1.25 hours).
3. Heat olive oil in a medium sized skillet. Add chopped onion, 5 crushed cloves garlic, cumin, salt, and carrot.
4. Saute over medium heat until the carrot is just tender. Add the rest of the crushed garlic and diced bell pepper. Saute until everything is very tender (10-15 mins). Add the sauteed mixture to the beans, scraping out every last morsel.
5. Stir in orange juice, black pepper and cayenne to taste, and diced tomatoes (optional).
6. Puree all or some of the soup in a blender and return to kettle. Simmer over very low heat 10-15 mins more. Serve topped with an artful arrangement of sour cream, cilantro and salsa.