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Silky Black Bean Soup
by Amanda Buell
serves: 4
  Smooth and Silky Black Bean Soup. Also try substituting some of the liquid for a can of beer or adding a roasted poblano pepper. Could add some cooked rice or barley for a heartier soup.
Ingredients:
  2 T.   Olive Oil
  1 rib   celery, chopped
  1 sm.   carrot, chopped
  1 clove   garlic, crushed (or 1/2 tsp. powder for each clove)
  1 1/2 tsp.   cumin
  1 tsp.   oregano
  1 tsp.   chili powder
  3 c.   vegetable or chicken broth
  2 cans   black beans
    salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
  Heat olive oil in large pot over med heat. Add celery, carrot, onion and pepper. Cook vegetables until they soften and brown slightly, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add the stock and black beans and increase heat to high. Bring the soup to a boil then reduce to low. Cover the pan and let simmer until flavors meld, 10-15 minutes (optional...we were hungry and it did just fine without a long simmer time).

At this point the recipe calls for an immersion blender but I don't have one so I took out about 1/3 of the beans and pureed them in the regular blender and returned them to the pot. Could puree the whole thing depending on your desired consistency.

Garnish with goat cheese or sour cream and chives (optional).

Reheat soup if necessary and serve hot with garnish.