• Asparagus Vichyssoise

• Black Bean Soup

• Brussels Sprouts and Carrots

• Carrot Beet Soup

• Chestnut and Chorizo Soup

• Chestnut and Lentil Soup

• Chicken Tortilla SOup

• Crab and Corn Chowder with Sesame Seed Oil

• Creamy Scallop Chowder

• Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Toasted Squash Seeds and Chives

• Curried Ginger Carrot Soup

• Curried Lentil Soup

• Curry Butternut Squash Soup with Candied Pumpkin Seeds and Maple Crema

• Fish Soup with Fennel and Grape Leaves

• French Onion Soup with Cantal Crostini

• Justin's Apple Rutabaga Soup

• Kai Tom Kha

• Kale and Bread Soup with Melting Brie

• La Bouillabaisse

• Lettuce and Pea Soup

• Magic Yam Soup

• Mulligatawny Soup

• Mushroom Soup with Olive Oil

• Parsnip Vichyssoise with Crispy Parsnip Chips

• Pear, Fennel and Acorn Squash Soup

• Pumpkin Bisque with Cranberry Oil Swirl

• Roasted Vegetable Gazpacho with Port

• Savoury Bacon, Pea and Zucchini Soup

• Spicy Sweet Potato Peanut Soup

• Sweet Corn and Smoked Chile Soup with Creme Freche

• Sweet Corn Soup

• Tom Ka Gai

• Wanderer's Soup

• Zucchini Soup

Black Bean Soup

Mar/Apr 2008
This soup was a favourite at Nadia and Gustavo Yelamo's restaurant, The Latin Corner. It's Gustavo's mother's recipe.

2 c. dried black beans, rinsed
2 whole cloves (or a pinch of ground cloves)
1/4 t. ground cumin
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, chopped
6 c. water
2 T. packed brown sugar
1/2 t. salt, or to taste
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 hard-cooked egg, chopped
1/2 c. crema (garnish) available at Mexican/Latin American stores
Salsa (recipe follows)

Combine beans, cloves, cumin, bay leaf, garlic and water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally for at least 3 hours, or until beans are soft. Keep the beans covered with water. If you need more water, use boiling, not cold water.

Remove from the burner and remove cloves and bay leaf. Don't discard the water. Mash beans against the side of the stockpot with a wooden spoon until about a quarter of the beans are mashed. This will contribute to the creamy texture of the soup. (You can also do this in a blender.) Stir in the brown sugar, salt and olive oil.

Prepare Salsa
1/2 c. finely chopped cilantro
1 roma tomato, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar or lime juice to taste
Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together.

Divide soup among bowls, garnish with chopped egg, crema and salsa. Serves 4 as an appetizer (or 2 as a main course with salad and corn bread).