/ck/ - Food & Cooking

Rendered pork lard.

That soup seriously needs some fat in it. Chop up a handfull of parsley too.

Make some Mexican rice to add in just before eating.

NO TOMATO
add bay leaf
add oregano
add a single tsp of brown sugar
(these are the cuban secrets)

saute the onion in good flavorful olive oil

Some people squeeze a lime or a put in a splash of dry wine or sherry vinegar at the end, to brighten flavors.

Also, this is great fast soup with canned beans. But, a traditionalist will use dried beans. A cuban mama will have a pressure cooker to cook those dried beans, which blasts some of them apart making a thick creamy soup (so you wouldn't need to blend some of them).

>>5278585
woah, hoss. that's way too much tomato and chili. it's called black bean soup, isn't it?

go buy some dried black beans, cook those up, and use them (make sure you save the cooking liquid).

I usually don't use more than a half of a bell pepper when I make mine. You don't really need any tomato or at least you can use them raw as a garnish.

Don't puree. Mash about half of your black beans before adding them to everything else so you're diced veg doesn't get pureed.

spices i usually add cumin, chili powder (other options for this are fine), and smoked pap

>>5278612
oh, yeah, i add some oregano too while the beans are cooking.

Don't thin with water, thin with zucchini and squash.

>>5278689

OP, black beans are naturally creamy and sweet. Flavorings are usually quite subtle, and do not overpower in any way. They should dissolve into the soup, from the onion to the green bell pepper. Though I would leave out the can of tomatoes, my family usually does make a pico de gallo type garnish. Raw tomato on a few bites is quite bright in your sweet soup, or on your black beans and rice. It is not a cuban thing to do, however, might be dominican or PR origin. Not sure. But local fast food chain has it, but sit down cuban restaurants do not.

Next time you go about this, soak beans overnight, and simmer this thing a couple hours the next day. Better yet, pack it into the fridge and simmer again the next day. It's always better as leftovers.

>>5278612
I agree with this guy but leave in half the tomatoes.

OP here. Halved tomatoes and added in the bay leaf, oregano,chili powder and sugar. Much better.

No pork/bacon, it was for vegetarians.

Used canned since I needed to get it done quick and the nice soak and cook wasn't doable. Will look for good bacon lovers soup.

>>5278585
Add some bacon man, I'd also go for chicken brother instead of water but that's kind of a given. And depending on how you feel about cilantro I'd add some. It also looks like you need a lime to two. Acidity will help brighten the soup up and make it delicious.

>>5281224
google cuban style black beans
shit is so ridiculously cash
serve with red/yellow rice, giant ass handfuls of good shredded cheese and shredded lettuce (trust me) and you've got yourself a fuckawesome meal