Black Bean-Tomato Soup with Cilantro-Lime Cream

I showed D this dish last week, and he said ok. We were going to make it for lunch, because who eats soup for dinner. Well, we forgot to write down a recipe for a day of the week, so this became Friday night's dinner.

D made it. He said it was easy. He doubled the recipe. Also because of doubling he didn't want to use the blender so he used the immersion blender.

It was very aromatic. The taste was outstanding. Smoky, warming, and just plain good. It got spicier as the weekend went on. We had with Beer Cheese Bread.

We will definitely have again.

Black Bean-Tomato Soup with Cilantro-Lime Cream

Photo by ALB

"This soup is easy to prepare and has plenty of flavor from the aromatics, bacon, and sour cream garnish." —Gloria Bradley, Naperville, IL

YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 1 1/2 tablespoons cream)
COURSE: Soups/Stews

Ingredients
2 center-cut bacon slices, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1 small)
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added organic diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Preparation
1. Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings in pan; set bacon aside. Add onion and celery to pan; cook 5 minutes or until celery is tender. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon cumin, chile powder, and garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in bacon, pepper, beans, tomatoes, and broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Place half of bean mixture in a blender (this is where D used an immersion blender). Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining bean mixture; process until smooth. Keep warm.

2. Combine sour cream, remaining 1/4 teaspoon cumin, cilantro, rind, and juice in a small bowl. Drizzle cream over soup.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 123; Calories from fat: 31%; Fat: 4.3g; Saturated fat: 2g; Monounsaturated fat: 1.6g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.4g; Protein: 6.4g; Carbohydrate: 16.3g; Fiber: 5.1g; Cholesterol: 10mg; Iron: 2.1mg; Sodium: 488mg; Calcium: 58mg

Cooking Light SEPTEMBER 2008