VEGETARIAN BLACK BEAN AND PUMPKIN SOUP

VEGETARIAN BLACK BEAN AND PUMPKIN SOUP image

Yield about 10 cups

Number Of Ingredients 15

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Two or three cans black beans (about 4 1/2 cups), rinsed and drained
1 large can Muir Glen fire roasted chopped tomatoes
1 large chopped vidalia or other sweet onion
1/2 cup minced shallot or leeks
heaping Tbsp chopped garlic
1 sm can chopped green chiles or 1/8 cup fresh, choose heat according to your taste.
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups 'no chicken' or veggie broth - about half of a box
2 or 3 cans organic pumpkin, no additives
sm amount of olive oil, spray coating, or butter to coat pan
3 tablespoons champagne or other wine vinegar
1/2 cup dry Sherry
Offer sour cream or non-dairy substitute, and shelled, toasted pumpkin seeds (not the ones in shell that are white, but the little brown ones), and hot sauce on table. Note: shelled pumpkin seeds or "pepitos" can be hard to find and are not necessary to enjoy the soup!

Steps:

Use small amount of olive oil or other method to coat a 6-quart heavy kettle. Cook onion, shallot, garlic, chili powder, chiles, salt, and pepper over medium heat, stirring, until onion begins to caramelize. While that is cooking, rinse beans and place in large bowl with tomato and its liquid. Add cooked onion mixture to bowl. Use handheld blender to pureé mixture in bowl. Transfer pureé back into soup pot. Stir in broth, pumpkin, and Sherry vinegar until combined. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally. After simmering 15 minutes, add sherry. Simmer another 10 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Can adjust thickness with more broth, more pumpkin, or more pureed beans but will need to simmer longer if adding ingredients. Season soup with salt and pepper. Offer sour cream or non-dairy substitute, toasted pumpkin seeds, hot sauce, salt and pepper.