Black Bean Soup with Rum
Submitted by LadyAshvin
Slow-simmered black bean soup with a smoky ham hock, fresh thyme, and a splash of dark rum stirred in at the end. Garnished with chopped egg, parsley, and lemon slices.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
4 hrsREADY
1There’s something about a pot of black bean soup simmering away for three hours that just feels right. And then you stir in dark rum and everything gets even better.
Dried beans cook low and slow with a meaty ham hock, onions, celery, fresh parsley and thyme, and a bay leaf in beef stock. Once the beans are soft and the broth has turned inky and rich, the whole thing gets passed through a food mill for a rustic, slightly textured puree.
Back in the pot, dark rum and a squeeze of lemon juice wake everything up with warmth and brightness.
Serve it in deep bowls topped with chopped hard-cooked egg, fresh parsley, and thin lemon slices floating on top.
Kitchen Tips
- Soak the beans overnight and change the water at least once. This reduces the compounds that cause digestive discomfort and helps the beans cook evenly.
- A food mill gives the best texture. It catches the skins and gives you a rustic, slightly chunky puree. A blender works but produces a smoother, less interesting result.
- Add the rum off the heat or over very low flame. You want the flavor, not to cook the alcohol out completely.
Ingredients
Directions
The night before, soak beans in cold water to cover by 2 inches.
Change water at least once.
Drain and rinse. In a heavy kettle, cook onion, celery, parlsey, thyme, and bay leaf in the butter over mod-low heat, stirring, for 10 minutes.
Add ham hock, beans, broth, 4 cups water, salt and pepper to taste.
Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, adding more water if necessary to keep beans covered, for 3 hours.
Discard ham hock and bay leaf. Put the mixture through a medium disk of a food mill into a large bowl and then return it to the kettle.
Stir in rum, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
Adjust the consistency with hot water and garnish for serving with the eggs, parsley, and lemon slices.
Makes about 7 cups.
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