WHB: Mexican Black Bean Soup With Sausage

Not the greatest looking picture--but the soup is very nice.  This is a fast and easy recipe that I made for the first time today.  It took less than 30 minutes, but tasted like much more labor was spent making it.  The rich, smokey taste comes from chipotles and smoked kielbasa sausage.  It also contains  Penzeys Mexican oregano, so that makes it a good candidate for Weekend Herb Blogging, the brainchild of Kalyn, of Kalyn's Kitchen.  And this week, WHB returns home to be hosted by Kalyn!

Mexican oregano comes from a different family than European oregano and has a slightly sweet, stronger taste that's ideal for dishes containing chilies.  It contains high amounts of antioxidants and is prized for it's medicinal properties in some cultures.

This is a simple recipe, which I appreciated today. I wasn't in the mood to cook, but didn't want to resort to another rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.  I found this recipe in Food & Wine, where it was labled "Fast" and a "Staff Favorite".  I've found that when the staff at Food & Wine like something, it's usually pretty good.  For this soup, you saute chopped onions, garlic, oregano, diced chipotle, and cumin for a few minutes.  Even though it contains a chipotle chili, it isn't hot.  I used a chipotle from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce.

The next step is to add chicken stock and canned black beans to the broth.  At this point, the soup tasted pallid, but simmering it for 15 minutes made the flavor bloom and the soup was transformed into a rich and savory concoction.

Thin slices of browned sausage and cilantro were then added. You didn't think I could make a Mexican dish without cilantro, did you?  But, the star here is oregano.  So, pretend you didn't see the cilantro.

And it's ready to serve, garnished with avocado, sour cream, cheese, etc.  I doubled the recipe and I bet the leftovers will taste even better tomorrow.

Mexican Black Bean Soup With Sausage   (Food & Wine)

ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 canned chipotle chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Two 15-ounce cans black beans, drained
3 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
3/4 pound smoky cooked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons very finely chopped cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Sour cream and lime wedges, for serving

directions
In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic along with the chipotle, cumin and oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the black beans and chicken stock and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes. Using a potato masher, coarsely crush some of the beans.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage to the beans, along with the lime juice and cilantro; season with salt and pepper. Simmer the soup for 2 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve, passing the sour cream and lime wedges separately.

Comments

[gattina]

pretty, yummy and easy!
I'm interesting in Mexican oregano, the one I using not really goes so well with my potato & onion soup.

[Glenna]

Oh wow! Looks fantastic. Wish I had a bowl right now and it's breakfast time.

[bea at La tartine gourmande]

Oh yes, I would love this hearty soup!

[Kalyn]

It looks wonderful to me. I have the Penzeys catalog sitting on my desk right now, and thanks for the reminder that I need to get some Mexican oregano. I do think there is quite a difference in the two types of oregano, especially dried where the flavor is more intensified. Of course, hooray for the cilantro in the soup.

[Tanna]

Funny, I think that would be great for breakfast! I guess I should really look for the Mexican oregano or maybe try looking for a plant in the spring and grow it.
I really like the look and sound of this soup.

[Jeff]

BEAUTIFUL!! I totally dig :)

[Julie]

This looks like a keeper. It's the sort of thing that my husband would be thrilled to see on the table.

Good tip about the Food and Wine staff favorites too.

[s'kat]

The first time I used Mexican oregano, I danced around the kitchen singing this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT_0gPrzGA0

Of course, there may have been wine involved, but it still plays in my head everytime I see the stuff!

Great looking soup, by the way! I could totally dig into that with a tortilla.

[coffeepot]

I think the pics look great. It sounds lovely.

[Jennifer]

That looks so good for this time of year!! Thank you for posting this!

[billie/ca]

Mmm, looks yummy to me! Thank you.

[Sherry]

This is exactly what I am looking for. I have to make soup for a faculty party at school and I want it to be a big hit! This appears to be the one I need! Thanks and the picture does look good enough to eat!

[Atopijski Dermatitis]

I just made this tonight and it was delicious! Thanks for this recipe. You can't beat how easy it is, plus it tastes great.
Thanks again!

[Victoria LaBarr]

Really looks delicious! I never would have thought of putting Polish sausage in a Mexican soup! I have only used chirozo (which is great!), but will definitely try the Polish sausage next time!

[Jodi Mueller Casolari]

I have a couple of questions, Where do I find Mexican Oregano? I like flavor, But I don't like heat. Is the cilantro, cumin, or chipotle going to make this hot?
I have found with most things slow cooking adds to the flavor, Especially of stews & soups. Could this recipe be done in a slow cooker, in your opinion? & If so, What if any adjustments should I make?