Oregano and Marjoram:
An Herb Society of America Guide to the Genus Origanum
Recipes
Savory Black Bean Soup
From Cuba to Texas, this soup is a winning recipe.
1 pound black beans, washed and culled
4-6 cups chicken or beef broth, vegetable stock or water as needed
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups chopped onion
2 tablespoons fruity olive oil or butter
3-4 large bay leaves
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme – 3'' long
5-6 sprigs fresh oregano (O. xmajoricum preferred)
– 3-4'' long (less if using strong flavored type)
2 teaspoons ground cumin (also known as comino seed in Latin
cultures)
2 teaspoons ground coriander seed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh epazote – optional (1-2 teaspoons dried)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh jalapeno pepper or hot pepper sauce to
taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice, or herb vinegar
¼ cup rum – optional
Sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, cubed avocado, and/or coriander
sprigs for garnish
Cover cleaned beans with cold water and soak overnight. Drain, rinse
and cook as directed, or use quick soak method by covering cleaned beans
with cold water and bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes, remove from heat
and let stand 1 hour. Drain, rinse and proceed with cooking as directed
below.
Return soaked beans to soup pot (not a deep, narrow stockpot) with
stock or other liquid, garlic, onion, olive oil, bay leaves, thyme
and oregano sprigs, and ground cumin and coriander seeds. Return to a
boil, reduce heat and simmer until beans are very tender, about 2
hours (boiling vigorously will cause skins to burst). Add more hot
liquid as needed.
When beans are almost done, stir in epazote, coriander leaves,
jalapeno pepper, salt and pepper; continue cooking until beans are
tender. If a smoother soup is desired remove about 2 cups of cooked
beans and puree in a blender or processor. Stir in lemon juice and
rum, if desired, and additional stock to thin soup; continue cooking
for 5-10 minutes, stirring often. Taste for seasonings; adjust to
taste as needed. Serve with grated sour cream, cheddar cheese,
cubed avocado, and/or coriander sprigs as garnish.
Yield: 6-8 servings as first course
Variation: Cook beans with smoked ham hock or turkey wings. Remove
meat from the bones and chop, adding to serve. Add smoked sausage
toward end of cooking time.
Recipe © Madalene Hill and Gwen Barclay
Next recipe: Liptauer Cheese