Southside Bistro Black Bean Soup

Although I never actually ate this soup at Southside Bistro in Anchorage, this recipe supposedly hails from that restaurant. And the restaurant was one we really liked. I have, however, made this soup at home more times than I can count. The current recipe differs in some respects from the original but is true to the intent of the dish. I also made it for our Truth Project friends a few weeks ago.

A note on the number of varieties of onions in this dish: I think that it actually makes a difference in the taste. I've made the soup when I didn't have the right onions and the taste was a little less complex. As with most soups, the salt content will make or break this soup, so check it carefully toward the end and add salt, a little at a time, to taste.

2 cups dried black beans
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced small
1/2 white onion, diced small
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
2 Tablespoons chopped shallots
5 Tablespoons chopped cilantro, divided
4 ripe or canned tomatoes, chopped fine
2 Tablespoons sliced scallions
1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced
1 teaspoons ground chipotle chili (in the dry spice aisle of the grocery store)
2 cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
black pepper & kosher salt to taste
garnishes: sour cream, crushed tortilla chips

Place beans in a large Dutch oven. Rinse beans thoroughly in cold water one or two times. Fill the Dutch oven with water until the beans are completely submerged with an inch or so of water above the beans. Soak beans overnight or for at least 2 hours. Turn burner to medium high and bring to a boil. When beans come to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for another 2-3 hours or until beans are tender. Check water level every 1/2 hour or so. It's better to add a small amount of water several times over rather than a lot of water at one time so that you do not burn the beans or interfere with the boiling process. Toward the end of the cooking process, add about 1 Tablespoon of salt. If you add the salt too early, you may have difficulty getting the beans to soften. Just ask Brian and PJ: You may end up with "marble soup" (reference to one of my cooking experiments early in life)

In a separate saute pan, combine oil, onions, celery, garlic, and shallots. Over medium-high heat, saute until onions are translucent. Add in tomatoes, 2 Tablespoons cilantro, green onion, and jalapeno and stir gently to combine. Pour the whole mix into the beans when the beans are nearly tender. Add in chipotle, chicken stock, lime juice and remaining spices, including the additional cilantro (3 Tablespoons) and some salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer again and taste for salt and spice content. Adjust seasonings and lime juice if necessary. Serve garnished with sour cream and crushed tortilla chips if your diet permits dairy products.