Spicy Black Bean Soup with Crème Fraîche and Cilantro

(Makes 4 servings)

• tablespoon olive oil
• shallot, coarsely chopped
• garlic clove, coarsely chopped
• red jalapeño chile, seeded, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups cooked black beans
• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup crème fraîche
• 1/2 small red bell pepper, seeded, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Heat large pot over medium-high heat. Add oil and shallot and sauté for 1 minute, or until tender. Add garlic, jalapeño, and cumin and sauté for 1 minute, or until garlic softens. Add beans and chicken stock and bring to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes to blend flavors.

In blender, working in batches, puree soup until smooth. Transfer pureed soup to medium saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat. Season soup to taste with salt, pepper, and lime juice.

Ladle soup into serving bowls, drizzle some crème fraîche over soup, garnish with red bell pepper and cilantro, and serve.

Make-Ahead: The soup can be made up to 1 day ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated. Rewarm the soup over medium heat, thinning it to the desired consistency with more chicken stock, if necessary.

Per serving

• Calories: 210
• Total Fat: 9 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Sodium: 545 mg
• Carbohydrate: 21.5 g
• Fiber: 6 g
• Protein: 9 g
• Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 0.5 lean meat, 0.5 vegetable, 2 fat

Recipe copyright © Curtis Stone