Black Bean and Chorizo Soup

soup/stew bean lunch latin american sausage winter gourmet

Ingredients

1 (3- to 4-ounce) link of Spanish chorizo (spicy cured pork sausage), coarsely chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/2 to 3 cups chicken broth

2 (15- to 19-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

Garnish: rounds of thinly sliced lemon and chopped fresh cilantro

Method

Cook chorizo, onion, garlic, bell pepper, pepper flakes, cumin, and salt in oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add broth (2 1/2 cups for smaller cans of beans or 3 cups for larger) and beans and simmer, partially covered, 15 minutes. Lightly mash beans with a potato masher to slightly thicken.