Slow-Cooker Black-Bean Soup with Turkey

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons pickling spice 
• 3 medium carrots cut into large chunks
• 1 tablespoon flour all-purpose
• 0.5 cup cilantro leaves fresh chopped
• 4 cloves garlic smashed
• 6 servings kosher salt and pepper freshly ground
• 1 pound turtle beans dried black picked over rinsed drained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil extra-virgin
• 2  onions red halved
• 0.8 teaspoon pepper flakes red
• 1.8 pounds turkey drumstick smoked

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• ladle
• slow cooker
• immersion blender

Directions

1. Set aside half an onion and chop the rest.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add the chopped onions, carrots and garlic; sprinkle with the flour and cook, stirring, until slightly browned, 5 minutes.
4. Add 2 tablespoons water and scrape up any browned bits from the pan.
5. Transfer the vegetables and cooking liquid to a slow cooker.
6. Add the beans, turkey drumstick, pickling-spice packet, red pepper flakes and 8 cups water. Cover and cook on low 6 hours.
7. Remove the drumstick and shred the meat; keep warm.
8. Remove about 2 cups beans from the cooker and blend until smooth (or partially blend with an immersion blender). Return the beans and turkey meat to the soup. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Mince the reserved 1/2 onion. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the cilantro and minced onion.
10. Garnish with sour cream and lime, if desired.
11. Photograph by Antonis Achilleos