I'm going to let you in on a little secret. For this month's Secret Recipe Club (SRC as it's so fondly referred) I was assigned an amazing blog named Chocolate and Chillies. Yum, right?
The author and recipe developer of this blog is Asiya who is a stay at home mom with two young children. The first thing I noticed when I went to her blog (to scout it out) is the wide array of recipes she has to choose from. Asiya is not afraid of bold flavors and she has many recipes that are unusual (to me). She makes me want to step out of my comfort zone of cooking and try many of the ones that she is so kindly willing to share. I will be back Asiya!!!
This month however I went with a pretty basic Black Bean Soup recipe that she had posted. Asiya had found her original inspiration on allrecipes.com and had adapted her recipe to what she had on hand. Upon reading through her recipe, I realized that I too had most of the ingredients already on hand in my fridge and pantry. Ding! Ding! Ding!
Here is my adaptation of Asiya's Black Bean Soup and my take on her recipe. I made quite a few *additions* to her original recipe (not because it really needed it, just because I can't seem to stop myself).
This soup was hearty, slightly spicy and extremely flavorful. I'm all about textures in food and this soup is loaded with them.
BLACK BEAN SOUP {PRINT THIS RECIPE}
1 pound lean ground beef*
2 - 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed.
2 tablespoons olive oil*
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon smoked* cumin powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander*
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika*
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes*
2 bay leaves*
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
3/4 cup frozen corn
1 cup beef stock*
1 tablespoon lime zest and the juice of one small lime*
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or cilantro paste*
3 flour tortillas, cut in strips and baked, for garnish* (optional)
olive oil spray* (optional)
1 Avocado, diced, for garnish* (optional)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese for garnish* (optional)
sour cream for garnish* (optional)
-In a large stock pot, over medium high heat, add the olive oil and brown the ground beef until still slightly pink.
-Add the minced garlic and onion and cook until the onions become translucent.
-Add the cumin, coriander, paprika, red pepper flakes, bay leaves. Stir to combine and cook for approximately 1 minute.
-Lower the heat to medium and add the diced tomatoes, frozen corn, beef stock and black beans.
-Add the salt and pepper.
-Cover the pot and allow to simmer on the stove for approximately 1/2 hour to blend the flavors.
-Meanwhile, slice the tortillas and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Spray the strips with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
-Bake the tortilla strips in a 325 degree oven, watching them carefully so they don't burn. (approximately 5-7 minutes).
-Right before service, add the cilantro and lime zest and juice.
-Remove the bay leaves.
-Ladle up your soup in bowls and garnish with the tortilla strips, avocados, cheese and sour cream if you wish.
Thank you so much for the inspiration for this wonderful recipe Asiya! I love your blog and plan on visiting more often to try your recipes. This one was certainly a huge hit!!!
Until we eat again,
Labels: avocado, black bean soup, cilantro paste, ground beef, Let's Eat, main, recipe, secret recipe club, soups and stews, SRC, tortillas, Travel the world
