SMOKY BLACK BEAN AND HUITLACOCHE SOUP

SMOKY BLACK BEAN AND HUITLACOCHE SOUP

It’s been over 25 years since I made one of my many trips south of the border to explore ingredients. Mainly these two very American ingredients, black beans, and huitlacoche. Because at the time you could not find much smut here in the states. Both have been consumed for centuries by the many people and tribes of the area around the border and as far south as maize grows. This also includes the distinct four tribes that make up the Colorado River Native American Tribes growing up on CRIT land you learned fast the difference between Mohave, Chemehuevi, Navajo and the Hopi. I also learned the subtle differences in tribal cuisine and diets by eating many meals shared with me over the years. With 300 thousand acres stretching for 54 miles along both the California and Arizona sides of the Colorado River, I was bound for desert exploration, and explore I did. I want to thank all those kids and their parents I grew up with on the reservation that fed me huitlacoche quesadillas, roasted goat tacos, fry bread and taught me how and where to harvest peyote buttons. I also gotta thank my Mom and Dad who tirelessly dragged me around the country to experience the people, the food, and the culture but most importantly the people's food culture. The revered Hopi elder that gifted me my first taste of huitlacoche, he called it Nanha. He was also part of the Latino farmer’s family that grew the corn for the smut and all the mid-grade cannabis I illegally transported back in the heydays of cannabis prohibition. I truly love to see how these ingredients became social media hype material and fodder for braggadocios millennials. For me it was a connection to people and place, so let me brag about it…!

DETAILS

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 2 hours Yield: 8-10 servings Total thc/cbd: depends on the potency of the products used Status: American Smut The cannabis pantry: Cannabis infused bacon fat, cannabis olive oil

EQUIPMENT

Chef’s knife, cutting board, large soup pot, immersion blender, small mixing bowl, soup bowls, ladle

PROVISIONS

½ cup cannabis-infused bacon fat (made in the mb2e)

1½ cups sweet onion (peeled and small diced)

½ cup carrot (peeled and small diced)

9 cloves of garlic (peeled, crushed, and rough chopped)

2 tbsp chipotle adobo (the pureed contents of a can of chipotles)

1 California bay laurel leaf

1 lb dry organic black beans

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp dry Mexican oregano

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp dry epazote

1 tbsp sea salt8 cups chicken stock or water¼ cup huitlacoche

½ cup crema or sour cream

½ cup avocado (+ micro diced)

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tbsp red jalapeño (micro diced)

1 tbsp cannabis-infused olive oil (made in the mb2e)1 tsp green jalapeño (sliced into thin rounds or coins)

1 tbsp fresh cilantro (micro diced)

½ cup crispy fried tortilla strips (or crushed corn chips)

DIRECTIONS

In a large soup pot heat the bacon fat over medium heat, add the onions, carrots, and garlic. Sweat the vegetables until the onions are translucent (about 10-12 minutes). add all the remaining ingredients except the huitlacoche and stir to make sure everything is combined.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and let simmer for about 2 hours (or until the beans are extremely tender and creamy). remove the bay leaf.

Add the huitlacoche and stir well.

Using a handheld immersion blender, puree the soup to your desired texture and consistency.

Adjust the seasoning, remember beans soak up a lot of salt.

To make the garnish. mix the micro diced avocado, red jalapeño, cilantro, olive oil, and round sliced green jalapenos in the stainless-steel mixing bowl. combine well.

To serve the soup fill each bowl with the desired amount of soup and garnish each bowl with sour cream and a little of the avocado salsa garnish.