3 cups black beans — soaked overnight
2 gallons chicken broth
6 bay leaves
1/2 onion — diced
4 cloves garlic — diced
2 carrots — grated
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper — to taste sour cream — as needed 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro — chopped
2 tablespoons tomatoes — diced
DIRECTIONS: (prep 10-15 mins; soak 2 hrs; cook 3 hrs): – Rinse beans and sort. Soak overnight. Drain. Rinse. – In an extra large saucepan place the black beans, chicken stock, bay leaves, onions, garlic, and carrots. Simmer the ingredients for 2 to 3 hours, or until the beans are tender. Remove the bay leaves. Add more chicken stock or water if needed. – Strain the beans (reserve the liquid) and place them in a food processor. Ble nd the beans, adding enough of the reserved liquid so that a thick, pureed cons istency is achieved. – Add the heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Stir them in so that they are well ble nded. – Garnish the soup servings with a dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle on the cilant ro and the tomatoes serves 8 to 10 [mcRecipe 27 Au 96 / patH ]