Black Bean Chipotle Soup

adapted from The Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special (Serves 6)

INGREDIENTS
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 2 c. chopped onions
• 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 2 c. peeled and diced carrots
• 1 1/2 t. ground cumin
• 1 c. chopped celery
• 1 c. chopped green bell pepper
• 3 c. cooked black beans (or 2 15-oz cans, undrained)
• 1 T. Hot Chipotle Salsa (our favorite is La Preferida you can buy it a Reyna’s in the Strip District, Pgh)
• 2 c. peeled, chopped fresh or undrained canned tomatoes
• 1/2 c. orange juice
• 1/2 c. water

Toppings:
sour cream (optional)
chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
hot sauce (our favorite is Melinda’s Habanero Hot Sauce)

To make the soup:
Warm the oil. Saute the onions and garlic in the oil for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent. Add the carrots and cumin and cook on medium heat, stirring often, for a few minutes. Add the celery and bell pepper, lower the heat, cover and
cook for about 10 minutes. Add the beans, chipotle, tomatoes, orange juice, and water and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes. (If you are using fresh tomatoes, peel and simmer an extra five minutes.) If you’re not using canned beans, add 1/2 cup of bean cooking liquid or additional water. Serve with sour cream and fresh cilantro.