CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

from George Harvell

George is the Chef at SoBro Grill at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Ingredients:	2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 lb butter 1/2 cup canola oil 1 medium yellow onion, diced 3 medium carrots, diced 3 stalks of celery, diced 2 Tablespoons fresh minced garlic 1 Tablespoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 2 Tablespoons chili powder 2 lbs black beans or turtle beans (dried, not canned) 4 quarts water 2 bay leaves salt and white pepper to taste 1 cup heavy whipping cream Optional garnish: sour cream, chopped onion and a splash of drinking sherry

Directions:	1. Make roux (this is a thickener, pronounced rue) in advance: Place flour in a skillet or pot and add the butter. Stir to blend and cook very slowly until thick and golden, about thirty minutes. Roux can be refrigerated and used up to a week or so later. 2. Heat oil in a clean pot. Add onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté. 3. Add garlic, but make sure it doesn't brown. (Burnt garlic tastes bitter). 4. Add cumin, coriander, and chili powder. Sauté briefly. 5. Add beans and stir. 6. Add water and bay leaves, cook until beans get tender, about 1 1/2 hours, stirring frequently. 7. Add roux a little at a time until soup is to desired thickness. You may puree the soup in batches in a blender if you wish. Some prefer the soup with whole beans. 8. Stir in cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with the garnish of your choice.

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 lb butter
1/2 cup canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
2 Tablespoons fresh minced garlic
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 lbs black beans or turtle beans (dried, not canned)
4 quarts water
2 bay leaves
salt and white pepper to taste
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Optional garnish: sour cream, chopped onion and a splash of drinking sherry

Directions:

1. Make roux (this is a thickener, pronounced rue) in advance: Place flour in a skillet or pot and add the butter. Stir to blend and cook very slowly until thick and golden, about thirty minutes. Roux can be refrigerated and used up to a week or so later.

2. Heat oil in a clean pot. Add onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté.

3. Add garlic, but make sure it doesn't brown. (Burnt garlic tastes bitter).

4. Add cumin, coriander, and chili powder. Sauté briefly.

5. Add beans and stir.

6. Add water and bay leaves, cook until beans get tender, about 1 1/2 hours, stirring frequently.

7. Add roux a little at a time until soup is to desired thickness. You may puree the soup in batches in a blender if you wish. Some prefer the soup with whole beans.

8. Stir in cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with the garnish of your choice.