Black Bean Soup

This soup has it all; it is delicious, healthy, beautiful, and inexpensive. Nothing warms body and soul on a cold winter day like hot bean soup! Enjoy a warm bowl

Black beans, also known as “turtle beans,” are an especially tasty variety, and make a lovely soup. As with most dried beans, they are inexpensive while offering a bounty of fiber, protein, folic acid, potassium and magnesium. Do not salt dried beans while they are cooking as the salt slows down the softening process. And a word about the sherry commonly added to this soup: forget “cooking” wines or sherries. They contain lots of added salt and very little in the way of flavor. Do your palate and your body a favor and use a drinkable sherry in this recipe.

Food as Medicine with an Anti-Inflammatory Twist

A recent study from the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry shows that black beans are not only a powerhouse of antioxidants but also a key player in an anti-inflammatory diet. These antioxidants serve a dual purpose: they prevent cholesterol from being oxidized by free radicals in the bloodstream, a process that could otherwise lead to plaque formation and atherosclerosis, making them a strategic choice in an anti-inflammatory diet. Additionally, just one cup of black beans contains 20 percent of the Daily Value for iron—an essential mineral often recommended in anti-inflammatory diets. However, it’s worth noting that black beans contain polyphenols known as tannins, which can inhibit the full absorption of iron. This means the net amount of iron your body can utilize may be slightly lower but still beneficial in the context of an anti-inflammatory nutritional approach.

1 pound black beans
1 bay leaf
1 large onion, sliced
Salt to taste
A few cloves of chopped garlic
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 cup dry sherry (not cooking sherry)

1. Pick over beans to remove any dirt, stones or foreign objects. Wash well, then soak for 8 hours in ample cold water.
2. Drain beans and cover with a generous amount of fresh water. Bring to a boil over high heat in a large saucepan with the bay leaf.
3. Skim off foam, lower heat, and simmer, partially covered, until beans are just tender, about 1 hour.
4. Add onion and continue to cook until onion becomes extremely soft, about 1 more hour.
5. Add salt to taste and garlic. Continue to cook, adding a little boiling water if necessary, until beans are very soft, about 1-2 hours more.
6. Remove bay leaf and turn off heat.
7. Ladle beans in batches into a blender or food processor and puree, or use an immersion blender and puree soup directly in the saucepan.
8. Add dry mustard powder and dry sherry. Correct seasoning.
9. Reheat and serve, adding any garnishes you wish, such as slices of lemon or freshly chopped herbs.