Sopa Negra

I love Sopa Negra, it’s a soup originally from Costa Rica but you see variants of it all over Latin America. It is possibly the healthiest, yummiest and easiest recipe you can make for yourself.

by The Latina Cook

Black beans, the primary ingredient in Sopa Negra, are so popular in South America and absolutely revered for their healthy qualities….. Most Brazilians won’t go a day with out a serving of black beans. (Brazil grows more of these than any country in the world) The black bean’s fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin B6 and phytonutrient content, coupled with its lack of cholesterol, all support heart health. The fiber in black beans helps lower the total amount of cholesterol in the blood and decrease the risk of heart disease. AUTHENTIC “Sopa Negra” is always served with hard boiled eggs, which are cooked in the soup itself and then removed and peeled before eating, but I like mine plain and simple. It takes only minutes to make and the soup freezes & travels very well meaning your lunch time office meal is sorted. INGREDIENTS

(Serves: 4) Time: 10 Minutes

2 Garlic cloves
2 Bay leaves
50g Cooking bacon
1 tbs Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
1000g Black beans (in water)
1 Chicken Stock Cube
1/2 white onion (diced)

Method Sauté onion until tender and add crushed garlic and bacon, cook for around 5 minutes. Add 1/2 beans (do not drain), vinegar, chilli flakes, chicken stock and Bay leaves. Using a potato masher smush up the ingredients, this thickens up the soup making it into a broth. Add the rest of the beans and simmer for 6-7 minutes (OPTIONAL: at this point you can add the egg to be hard boiled like they do in Costa Rica). Finish with a dollop of creme-fraiche and a smattering of coriander.

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