VIRTUAL DINNER PARTY #30 CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH BANANA-PINEAPPLE RELISH

SOUP INGREDIENTS:

½ ea. onion, diced

1 T garlic, minced

2 t smoked paprika

1 T ground cumin

2 t dried oregano

1 t ground coriander

½ t cayenne (or to taste)

Pinch of granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

3 C chicken or vegetable stock

2 t sherry vinegar

3 tomatoes with accumulated juice, chopped

RELISH INGREDIENTS:

½ C pineapple, diced

½  C banana, diced (not too ripe is better)

3 T red onion, minced

1 small orange, supreme (see how @ https://petitefeastutah.com/blog/2020/05/26/virtual-dinner-party-5-fish-taco-with-citrus-salsa-and-cilantro-crema/)

2 t jalapeno, seeded and minced (or to taste)

2 T cilantro, chopped

½ lime, juice

METHOD:

Sauté sofrito – onions, garlic and seasonings – in 2 T olive oil over medium high heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent the garlic from burning. Add sugar and salt and sauté briefly.

Deglaze the pan with sherry vinegar scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot. Add chopped tomatoes and their accumulated juices. Simmer to soften tomatoes and reduce mixture slightly.   Lightly mash tomatoes before adding rinsed and drained beans and chicken stock.  Simmer for 30-40 minutes.

While soup simmers, prepare banana-pineapple garnish. In a bowl, gently combine all ingredients.  Set aside to allow flavors to blend before using.

Using an immersion blender, lightly puree the soup. You are after a slightly thickened broth with some whole beans. (Alternatively, you can puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor.) Season soup with a little more vinegar and salt if needed.

To serve, fill shallow soup bowl with soup and top with a generous spoonful of banana-pineapple relish.

Serves 2