Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 4 ounce chiles green chopped canned
• 0.3 cup crema mexicana 
• 1 cup black beans dried
• 2.5 cups less-sodium chicken broth fat-free
• 1 cup cilantro leaves fresh
• 4 servings cilantro leaves fresh
• 7  garlic cloves divided minced
• 0.8 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 0.3 teaspoon ground pepper red
• 3 large hard-cooked eggs peeled finely chopped
• 0.5  jalapeno seeded
• 2.5 tablespoons olive oil extra-virgin divided
• 0.8 cup onion chopped
• 1 teaspoon oregano dried
• 0.8 teaspoon salt 
• 0.3 cup no-salt-added tomato paste 
• 2 cups water 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• ladle
• blender
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Sort and wash beans, and place in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water; cover and let stand for 8 hours.
2. Drain beans.
3. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
4. Add onion; cook 4 minutes, stirring often.
5. Add 5 garlic cloves; cook 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high.
6. Add beans, broth, and next 7 ingredients (through chiles); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until beans are tender.
7. Let stand 10 minutes.
8. Place half of bean mixture in a blender.
9. Remove center piece of blender lid; secure blender lid on blender.
10. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid. Process until smooth.
11. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining mixture. Return soup to pan; cook 5 minutes, stirring often.
12. Finely chop 1 cup cilantro and jalapeo.
13. Combine 2 tablespoons oil, 2 garlic cloves, cilantro, jalapeo, and crema. Ladle 1 1/4 cups soup into each of 4 bowls; top each with 2 tablespoons crema.
14. Sprinkle soup with eggs.
15. Garnish with cilantro leaves, if desired.