Black Bean and Pumpkin Soup

It's Saturday.  I'm headed out for a morning with the girls painting a bowl for Habitat for Humanity and breakfast at Mimi's.  Then it's off the championship football game - I know my husband is going to coach 'em to a win!  And then, a fall fun afternoon at a farm!  For this beautiful fall day, I thought I would post a warm, yummy, fall recipe!


Don't be deterred by the name.

I was.

I never would have made this if I hadn't already had it at a dinner party, lol.  But, as would turn out, it's really good!  Wonderful fall soup!  And if you have picky eaters, you can call it "black bean chili"

3 15 oz cans of black beans drained and rinsed

1 cup drained canned tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup butter

1 1/4 chopped onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbs plus 2 tsp Cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

4 cups beef broth

15 oz can Pumpkin

1/2 cup dry sherry

1/2 pound ham (diced) - may substitute chicken or shrimp

3 Tbs sherry vinegar (I subbed cider vinegar)

Combine 2 cans of the beans and the tomatoes in a food processors and process until coarsely pureed; set aside. 

Melt the butter in a heavy, 6-quart pot over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper and cook until the onions are tender and starting to brown.  stir in the pureed bean mixture, the remaining can of whole beans (I used 2 cans here), broth, pumpkin, and sherry.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 25 min or until the soup is nice and thick and coats the back of a spoon.  Add the ham and vinegar and simmer until heated through.  Season with salt and pepper if needed.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and fresh corn bread!  Yummy!