Black-Bean Soup with Avocado Salsa

Ingredients

• 2  avocados cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 4 cups chicken broth low-sodium homemade canned
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil 
• 0.5 cup cooking sherry dry
• 0.3 cup flat-leaf parsley chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper black
• 2 tablespoons juice of lime 
• 1  onion chopped
• 6  radishes halved sliced thin
• 1.5 teaspoons salt 

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• sauce pan
• blender

Directions

1. Combine 3 cups of the beans and 1 cup of chicken broth in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over moderate heat.
3. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat, add the sherry, and boil until reduced to approximately 1/4 cup, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the bean puree, 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper, and the remaining 3 cups of chicken broth and 3 cups of beans. Simmer until hot, about 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the avocados, cilantro, radishes, lime juice, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
6. Mix gently. Spoon the soup into bowls and top with the salsa.
7. Wine Recommendation: Don't forget about sherries when considering wines for the table. They work particularly well with soups, especially when sherry is an ingredient already. With this black-bean soup, a dry amontillado is a natural.
8. Notes: If the radishes aren't perfectly crisp, soak them in a bowl of ice water. A few minutes of shock may be just enough to revive them.