Cuban black bean soup

Add a soupcon of spice to your favourite liquid lunch.

Ingredients

3 Tbsp	Olive oil
1	Onion, peeled and diced
3	Garlic cloves, chopped
1	Green pepper, seeds removed, finely diced
1 Tbsp	Cumin
½ tsp	Ground coriander
½ tsp	Allspice
2 cups	Dried black beans, soaked overnight in plenty of cold water (Main)
2 Ltr	Vegetable stock, or use chicken stock
2	Bay leaves
½ cup	Fresh coriander, chopped
1	Lime, juiced
1 to taste	Salt & freshly ground pepper
½ cup	Sour cream
1 to garnish	Avocado, finely diced

Directions

1. Soak dried black beans overnight in plenty of cold water.
2. Heat a large saucepan, add oil, onion, garlic and diced green pepper and cook over a gentle heat until softened but not coloured. Add spices and cook for 1 minute to toast.
3. Add black beans, bay leaves and stock and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to simmer for 1 hour or until beans are very tender. Remove the bay leaves.
4. Puree half the mixture, then return this puree to the saucepan along with the coriander and lime juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve in bowls topped with a dollop of sour cream and some diced avocado.