Spicy Black Bean and Habanero Soup

A kicked up approach to black bean soup: jalapeño and habanero chiles, smoked ham hock, sherry vinegar, and, of course, Sherry.

Spicy Black Bean and Habanero Soup

This recipe slow cooks the beans in beef stock, not water. Beans are best cooked without salt, as the salt prevents the bean exterior from softening. If you make your own stock, prepare a batch without salt. If using a store bought product—you should make your own!—use a low or no sodium offering.

Makes 6 soup course-sized servings.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 medium rib celery, diced
2 medium jalapeños, diced
2 smoked ham hocks (about 1.75 pounds), skin scored
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 habanero chiles, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1 pound black beans, rinsed, soaked overnight, rinsed again, drained
8 cups low or no sodium beef stock
1/4 cup dry Spanish Sherry
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, preferably DO-classified vinagre de Jerez
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped well
1 cup cilantro sour cream (recipe)
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Heat a heavy stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery, jalapeños, and ham hocks. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and the ham hock is brown, 6-7 minutes. Add the habanero chile and red pepper flakes and cook 60 seconds. Add the garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Season to taste with black pepper.

Bringing to a boil

Add the bay leaf, black beans, and beef stock. Raise heat to high. Once boiling, lower heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, about 2 hours, adding more beef stock as needed. When the beans are beginning to soften but are still firm, about 30 minutes before they are done, add 1 teaspoon of sea salt and remove the ham hocks. Set aside and let cool.

Puréed

Once the beans are fully cooked, remove from heat. Using a potato masher, mash into a purée.

If using in black and white soup: Add the sherry and sherry vinegar. Cook 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Plate with the white cheddar and leek soup.

Otherwise: Remove the meat from the hock. Shred the meat. Discard the bone, the skin, and any remaining large pieces of fat. Add the ham hock meat, sherry and sherry vinegar. Return to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped cilantro. To plate, ladle into warm soup bowls. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with a big dollop of cilantro sour cream. Pairs well with a dry stout.