Black Bean Soup with Chicken

This is another really healthy recipe for the pressure cooker.  This is super easy, and makes the kitchen smell really great.  It's pretty cold here, so this is perfect.  Again, stick with proportions for liquids and solids in the recipe, but different seasonings can really change a simple dish like this.  You could even change the theme, with different seasonings and/or garnishes.  I purchased the black beans in bulk at the co op.  They look much better and are probably more fresh than those in the plastic bag at the grocery store.  Older beans are "okay", but will likely need to be cooked longer, after removing the chicken.  (You will want to discard the skin.)

Recently, I started keeping a nice, fresh bunch of Italian Parsly in the fridge at all times.  I buy this every Friday.  Fresh parsly is a really inexpensive way to really spruce up just about anything.  I don't think I've ever spent $2 on a bunch of parsley.  Cilantro would be great with this, too.  It's not as "sturdy", so I buy it when needed, but seem to waste most of it.

This recipe is also adapted from my class at Kitchen Window:

• 3 cups of chicken stock and 4 cups of water (or 7 cups of water, if you don't have the stock)
• 1 pound dry black beans (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1 whole chicken (I use Smart Chicken.  Every little bit helps!)
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, chopped
• 4-6 garlic cloves, mashed or chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt (if you used all water.  I didn't add salt.  I used about 1/2 water and 1/2 stock)

Directions:

1. Rinse the beans and pick out stones.  Soak in a large pot, if you have time.  This is not a critical step.
2. Heat the oil in a 6 quart (or larger) pressure cooker.  Add the onions, carrots, and cumin.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. until veggies begin to soften.  
3. Stir in the water, chicken, garlic, and bay leaves.  Add beans (with soaking liquid, if soaked).
4. Cook on high pressure for about 25 minutes.  Turn off heat and allow the pressure to come down naturally.  For the pressure to come down with my pressure cooker (Fagor), it takes about 15-20 minutes of sitting on the stove, with the heat turned off.  Open the lid away from you to prevent a steam burn.  Those are nasty!
5. Remove the chicken carefully.  It should be falling apart.  (Mine broke in half taking it out.)
6. Taste beans.  If they are not tender, cover and simmer (without pressure) until cooked through.  
7. Remove bay leaves.  
8. Puree soup, if desired, with as little vegetable and liquid as possible. You could either let it cool a little and blend it or use an immersion blender.  I did not puree mine.  I did remove some of the liquid and "mashed" the soup to thicken the broth a little bit.
9. Remove the chicken from the bones and seperate from fat.  Break the chicken up in to small peices.  
10. Return the chicken pieces to the pot.  Check the seasonings.  Add more salt and pepper, if needed.  
11. Garnish with fresh tomato, avacado, parsley, and a tiny bit of sour cream.  You could also top with some salsa.

The difference between cooked dry beans and can beans is like night and day.  For most recipes, I prefer dry beans.  They are much less expensive than canned.  Canned are convenient and more "mushy".  I'd use canned black beans to make bean burgers, but that's about it.

Tip of the day:  Find a really great spice/seasnonings store.  Milwaukee is the home of Penzey Spices.  Here is their link:

http://www.penzeys.com/
Their staff is awesome and their product and prices are way better than the grocery store.  I also try to support this little store and it is very conveniently located for me.  One of the guys there, Tom, is a cheesehead, so he will always greet me like a sister!  He's really excited for the superbowl, too.  Mr. Penzey (founder) passed away recently.  His funeral made the news in Milwaukee.  The employees at his store found this humorous, in a loving way.
http://search.jsonline.com/Search.aspx?k=penzey+funeral&s.x=0&s.y=0
As my buddy, Maria, says, "What were they supposed to do?  Lug Mr. Penzey in his casket down the streets of downtown Milwaukee for 6 blocks?"  LOL.  Only in Milwaukee!  They are freaks about parking!

Enjoy this soup in good health.  I'm getting ready for the big game this weekend.  On the menu:  orange danish rolls; roasted brussel sprouts with fresh herbs; and short ribs!  Maybe pasta?