BLACK BEAN 'CASSOULET' SOUP

BLACK BEAN 'CASSOULET' SOUP image

Categories Soup/Stew Bean Pork High Fiber

Yield 16 servings

Number Of Ingredients 22

Ingredients

2 pounds dried black (turtle)beans
1 1/4 cups best-quality olive oil
3 cups diced yellow onions
12 cloves garlic, crushed
1 very meaty ham bone or 2 smoked ham hocks
8 quarts water
3 /2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried oregano
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon coarse (kosher) salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
8 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 3/4 to 2 pounds fresh garlic sausage
6 sweet Italian sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 hot Italian sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound bratwurst, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 medium-sized sweet red peppers, cored, seeded, and diced
1/4 cup dry sherry
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Sour cream

Steps:

1. Soak the black beans in water to cover overnight. 2. Heat 1 cup of the oil in a large heavy stock pot over low heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are limp, about 10 minutes. 3. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the stock pot. Add the ham bone and 6 quarts of the water. Stir in the cumin, oregano, bay leaves, salt, pepper, cayenne, and 3 tablespoons of the parsley. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered at a slow rolling boil for 2 hours, skimming foam from the top and stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. 4. Place the garlic sausage in a medium-size saucepan and add the remaining 2 quarts water. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes. Drain. Remove casings and cut in 1/2-inch slices. 5. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the Italian sausages and saute until browned. Remove the sausages with a slotted spoon. 6. In the same skillet, sute the bratwurst until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon. 7. After 2 hours of cooking, process 2 cups of the beans in a food processor fitted with a steel blade until smooth and return to the pot. Continue to cook for 30 minutes. 8. Add all the sausages and the red peppers and cook for another 30 minutes. 9. Remove the ham bone from the soup, shred the meat and return to the pot. Stir in the sherry, sugar, and lemon juice. 10. Cook over medium heat until the beans are very soft and the soup is thick 30 to 45 minutes. Stir in the remaining 5 tablespoons chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings. 11. Ladle the soup into soup bowls and dollop each serving with sour cream.