Black Bean Soup

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 medium red pepper, chopped
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 5 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 1 serrano pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1/2 fresh lime, juice only for garnish
• 3 -4 cups chicken stock
• 3 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon mesquite powder (specialty spice purchase)
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (to garnish)
• 3 slices smoked bacon (to garnish, thick slices)
• 7 chicken andouille sausages

Recipe

• 1 saute bacon in a soup pot to release fat and crisp bacon. remove bacon drain on paper towel. leave in fat if only a tbl or two. remove excess grease.
• 2 saute andouille sausage to release fat and crisp. remove from pot and drain on paper towel. remove all but 1 - 2 tbl grease.
• 3 sweat (on low saute) all veggies in pot for about 15 minutes.
• 4 add back in sausage, drained and rinsed black beans, tomatoes, broth and spices.
• 5 boil, then reduce to simmer about an hour -- till flavors meld.
• 6 puree part (leave some chunks) of the pot using an immersion blender or a regular blender.
• 7 mix back in crisped bacon.
• 8 serve with lime juice, cilantro and a dash of sour cream if you like.