Savory Black Bean Soup

Ingredients: (Serves 6)

2 15oz Cans Black Beans

2 Qts Chicken Broth (or vegan option, use water)

8 oz Smoked Jagdwurst or Andouille Sausage (vegan option, smoked vegan sausage) - Sliced and quartered.

1 Carrot – peeled, diced

1 Stalk Celery – diced

1 Small Red Pepper – diced

4 Shitake Mushrooms diced

1 Onion – diced

2 Bay Leaves

¼ t White Pepper

½ t Black Pepper

1/2 T Sea Salt

2 T Moromi Shoyu

2 T Vegetable Oil

1 T MSG (Optional)

Garnish: Thinly slice the green ends of 2 scallions (you can also slice and toss the white ends into the soup).

Preparation:

For many of us, a Sunday roast is a warm family tradition and a wonderful way to spend time together in the kitchen and around the dining table. A time to relax, slow down and reconnect after a busy week. When I make a roasted chicken, I use the chicken trimmings and carcass to make a rich chicken broth that I freeze and save for making soups later in the week. In this recipe, I’m using this broth as the base for an amazingly rich and savory black bean soup.  

Prepare the diced carrot, celery, red pepper, onion, mushrooms. Slice and quarter the sausage and set aside.

 Heat the oil on high in a sturdy stock pot or Dutch oven until just shimmering and brown the sausage on all sides. Add the diced carrots, onion, celery, and red pepper and continue cooking on high heat while stirring for approximately 1 minute. Stir in the diced shitake mushroom and then add the chicken stock and the black beans. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a very slow boil, just above simmering. Add the bay leaves, white pepper, black pepper, salt, shoyu, and MSG (if using).

 Cover and cook at a low boil for at least one hour but longer cooking time only enhances the flavor. Season to taste.

 Ladle into individual serving bowls and garnish with the sliced scallions.

 Serve with warm sourdough bread and plenty of soft butter or your favorite vegan spread.

 For the Broth:

 8 quarts of Water

Chicken trimmings – cut up a whole chicken for baking and save the back, neck, and wing tips for making broth (or use a whole roasted carcass)

Two stalks celery - halved and cut into 4” pieces

1 large carrot – peeled, halved and cut into 4 “pieces

1 Large yellow onion quartered (use the skins and all – they add so much color and flavor)

12 whole black peppercorns

1T sea salt

2 bay leaves

 Add water, chicken trimmings, celery, carrot, onion, peppercorns, salt, and bay leaves to a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Many people skim the fat and foam off the stock. If you want a nice clear broth this is worth the extra effort. I don’t really take the time to skim unless there is a lot of foaming as I’m using the stock in a thick soup where clarity isn’t an issue.

 Strain the stock into quart sized freezer storage containers, label, and store in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for later use.