On a blustery, wet Jersey Shore day what
warms the cockles of your heart more than a good soup?  I answer nothing...and if you make that soup yourself and it's
made with a nice array of good ingredients, AND there is an International flavor to the soup...well..then you are just
in luck because here is an easy (channeling Sandra Lee here hopefully in a good way) recipe for Cuban Black Bean
Soup.  Full of great flavors from the tropical Island of Cuba, this is also a great game day idea for hanging out infront
of the flatscreen on a Sunday..think chili, but different.
And if your grill is near by, you might want to buy some chorizo to grill up and slice to accompany some good bread and
olives...Next Sunday, go back to your Nachos and Chili..but for now..follow me.

   The smell of grilled chorizo is just pure Spanish heaven.
Why only do brats and dogs? 

For the soup, for 3 people, use 1 can of a good brand of black beans. When the organic brands (don't be scared) are on
sale, stock up!  Look for low-sodium choices also.. I'm not going all health food on you, just cut back when possible
because other ingredients in the recipe will make up for it.    In a medium sauce pan, heat 2 tbs. of olive oil, 1/2 cup of
small diced smoked ham and saute' it together for about 5 minutes.  Now add 1 chopped green pepper, 1 diced
onion, 1/2 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. ground cumin, a little salt and let this saute' till fragrant and soft, 8 minutes or so.  Now
add 3 tbs of red wine vinegar (surprise and key ingredient!), a few dashes of hot sauce, a bay leaf, and the can of
black beans with their liquid, then add another 1/2 can.  Now let this simmer for 40 minutes.the slower the better.

  this is the starting base or sofrito of goodies
that lend all the flavor to the beans...


The soup should be somewhat thick..use your preference on how thick you would like the soup, you can even
throw it into a processor for a smooth puree' style soup.  Not my preference, I like to see,taste, and feel the different
items in the soup.  Garnish the soup with a little sour cream (here's where a low-fat version will not kill the overall
picture you're painting), red or white onion, raw and finely dices...a little hot sauce, a spritz of fresh lime juice, and
a tiny bit of celery seed.  Layers of flavor.  So you serve a big pot of this soup (multiply the ingredients accordingly)
and sliced up those grilled chorizos with the bread and olives.  Maybe some sharp manchego or white cheddar...
You may not be going back to that game day nachos and chili any time too soon....



For those of you looking for a meatless option, just omit the ham, and add 1 tsp. of Pimenton', the smoky paprika
of Spain which adds that taste for you.