Black Bean Soup with Smoked Sour Cream

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon light olive oil
• 2 slices center-cut bacon, diced
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 29-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 quart vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 tablespoon liquid smoke
• Zest of 1/2 lime
• Cilantro

Directions

1. Warm a large soup pot over medium heat. Pour in the light olive oil, then add the bacon right away. Cook the bacon for a minute or two so the fat begins to melt into the pot, then stir in the onion, green bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeno. Cook everything together for 4 minutes. Add the cumin and coriander, and cook for another 30 seconds.
2. Stir in the beans and bay leaf, then pour in the vegetable stock. Bring the pot to a boil, then turn the heat down. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and let the soup bubble briskly for 10 to 20 minutes, until it is as thick as you like it. Move the pot off the heat and use an immersion blender to blend just a small portion of the soup, keeping it mostly chunky while giving the broth a creamier body.
3. While the soup cooks, prepare the smoked sour cream. Whisk together the sour cream, liquid smoke, and lime zest. Spoon it onto the hot black bean soup, then scatter torn cilantro leaves over the top.