Name: Black Bean Soup (Caldo de Frijol Negro)
Yield: 4 to 6 servings as a main dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 fresh chiles, either jalapeño or serrano, tops removed but not seeded, sliced into rings; or use canned jalapeños; 2 bay leaves; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves; 6 cups water or chicken stock; Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 1½ teaspoons dried Mexican oregano, crumbled; 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon); 2 dried or canned chipotle chiles; 3 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil; 1 medium-size onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup); 1 pound dried black beans, picked over, soaked overnight in water to cover (or according to package directions), and drained; 1 large celery stalk with leafy top, chopped; 3 small carrots, thinly sliced

Preparation info

4 to 6
servings as a main dish

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Food from My Heart

By Zarela Martínez

Published 1992

About

The first boardinghouses I lived in in Guadalajara had some really wonderful food. This soup became a favorite of mine. When made with water and vegetable oil, it’s an excellent vegetarian dish.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 1

Method

Heat the lard or oil in a Dutch oven or small soup pot over medium-high heat until hot but not quite smoking. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, jalapeños, bay leaves, cilantro, and oregano. Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the