Granny's Black Bean Soup

P’s version of Granny’s Black Bean Soup

2 cups dry black beans or 1lb bag

7-8 cups water, chicken stock or a combination of the two

1/8 tsp baking soda

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

2 bay leaves

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp cayenne

1 ham bone

salt and pepper

Sort beans and soak overnight in a pan of warm water.  Drain off soaking water and rinse beans.  Add beans, baking soda and water or stock to a dutch oven.  Baking soda helps the beans stay black.  Simmer beans until soft.  Don’t add salt until beans are already tender.  If you add it too early the beans will be tough.

While beans are cooking , chop vegetables into very small pieces and sauté in olive oil until golden.  Add vegetables to dutch oven along with bay leaves, salt, pepper and ham bone.  Cook over medium heat for about 2 hours.  Add more water and skim foam if needed.

When the beans are cooked and soft, remove ham and bay leaves.  Set aside ham to cool.  Puree a few cups of the beans in the food processor or use your immersion blender to blend up the soup a little if you want.

Cut the meat off the ham bone and chop into small pieces.  Add chopped ham to the soup.  Season to taste.  This makes a lot of soup.  I usually freeze half of it.

Serve soup with sour cream or yogurt, chopped cucumbers, grated cheese, chopped avocado, tortilla chips, lime, cilantro etc.