Ingredients
Method
- Wash and pick over the black beans and white beans. Coarsely chop the bacon, dice the tomato and onions, peel and dice the carrots, mince the garlic, and cut the lime in half.
- Place the black beans in a medium saucepan with 4 cups of the water and bring to a boil. Place the white beans in another medium saucepan with the remaining 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until both pots of beans are soft, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat.
- In another large saucepan, sauté 2 slices of the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon, saving the grease in the pan.
- Add ½ of the diced onions and all of the carrots and cook over medium low heat until the onions are lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
- Add ½ of the garlic and ½ teaspoon of the salt, stirring constantly, until the garlic aroma is released, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in the black beans and their liquid, along with the tomato, 1 bay leaf and 1 chipotle chile. Pour in 3 cups of the vegetable stock. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, an additional 30 minutes.
- Repeat the entire procedure with the white beans, using the remaining bacon, onion, garlic, salt, bay leaf, chipotle chile and stock.
- Remove the bay leaves and transfer the black bean mixture to a blender or food processor in batches and purée until smooth, pulsing the machine on and off until it begins to liquefy. (Be sure to leave space for the air to escape.) Return to a clean saucepan. Rinse out the blender or food processor and repeat with the white bean mixture.
- Reheat the soups over low heat. Squeeze half of a lime into each and stir ¼ cup of pomegranate juice into each saucepan to blend. Adjust seasoning.
- Using two ladles, carefully ladle the two soups side by side into one bowl, so that half is black and half is white. Garnish with Tomatillo Salsa.
Nutrition
Notes
The pomegranate juice is the perfect flavoring with which to finish this dish.