The Soup Parade Continues with Black Bean and Chorizo

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     I love soup!  I make it quite often and I make it all year round.  It's great this time of year when it's cold outside, but it's equally good eaten out on the deck in warmer weather.  What's so great about soup (other than the fact that it tastes great) is that it's so flexible.  It's almost always a great make ahead dish, so if I have time to cook in the morning, I can whip up a pot of soup and dinner will be ready whenever we are.  It also generally freezes well, which is great because I love to package it up into individual portions to have for lunch.  Finally, you can always add or subtract extra veggies or protein to suit your taste and a double batch doesn't take much more time to make than a single batch.

This soup is one that I've made a number of times and the meat that I put into it varies depending on what I have on hand.  Today I had chorizo, but pork, ham, chicken or even shrimp would be delicious and of course, you could certainly leave the meat out altogether.

Black Bean and Chorizo Soup

Adapted from "Calphalon Cooks Weeknights"

• 12 ounces smoked chorizo, diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 medium onions, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 - 15oz cans stewed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped (my store was out of fresh, but they had frozen which worked just fine)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 4 cups chicken stock

Dice the chorizo and chop the onions and garlic.

Heat a skillet over medium heat.  Add chorizo and saute until browned, about 5 minutes.  Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.  Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add onions and saute for about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and saute for another 2 minutes.  Add cumin and continue cooking for another couple of minutes until onions are soft.

Add beans and tomatoes to the pan, breaking up the tomatoes with the spoon.  Season with a little salt and pepper.

Then, either with an immersion blender or in a blender in batches, blend into a course puree.  Make sure you don't over-process, you still want to have some whole beans.

Stir in chicken stock and salt and pepper to taste.  Increase heat and bring to a boil.

Stir chorizo into the soup and let simmer for about 10 minutes to let the flavors develop.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, lime wedges or avocado if desired.

ENJOY!

Shared at Baking Bad on 12/02/11
Shared atMandy's Recipe Box on 12/06/11
Shared at Food Corner on 12/07/11
Shared at Newlyweds Blog on 12/07/11
Shared at Miz Helen's Country Cottage on 12/08/11
Shared at Everyday Mom's Meals on 12/11/11