Black Bean Soup

Every region of Latin America has it’s own version of black bean soup, some simmered with ham hock, some with chorizo. I favor this one in particular because it is completely vegetarian. Black bean soup can be garnished with almost anything from red onions to queso. My former employer Fernando Saralegui, who is of Cuban descent, told me his family would garnish their version with sugar and balsamic vinegar. I like to top mine with my favorite “go-to” herb, cilantro.