Culinary Guides

This is a hearty, simple soup that rewards a little patience. Dried black beans simmer low and slow with onion, garlic, carrots, cumin, and oregano until they turn silky, and a tangy yogurt topping ties it all together. Do not skip that yogurt, it is the best part.

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and picked over
• 3 tablespoons cooking fat of choice (bacon fat, oil, butter, or ghee)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste (beans absorb a lot, so you can be generous)
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 6 1/2 cups water, plus more to thin as needed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup whole milk yogurt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Flaky sea salt
• Finely chopped parsley for serving

Directions

1. Soak the beans. Either cover them with cold water and soak overnight, or bring them to a boil in a pot of hot water for 1 minute, cover, and soak 1 hour off the heat. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
2. Heat the cooking fat in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, carrots, cumin, red pepper flakes, oregano, and kosher salt. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes longer.
4. Deglaze with the 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, cooking until it reduces by half and lifts the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. Add the drained beans, 6 1/2 cups water, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer about 1 1/2 hours until the beans are tender. Stir every 30 minutes and add water as needed to keep the beans covered.
6. Meanwhile, stir the yogurt together with the 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar and a pinch of flaky salt. Set aside.
7. Remove the bay leaf. For a thicker, creamier soup, puree part of it with an immersion blender, or blend half in a stand blender and return it to the pot.
8. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, dollop with the tangy yogurt, and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Grower's tip: Oregano gives this soup its backbone, and its flavor is strongest just before the plant flowers, when the oils in the leaves peak. Snip sprigs at that point and hang them to dry, and a small patch will keep your spice jar full all winter.

The soup keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days and freezes for up to 3 months. A squeeze of lime or a handful of diced tomatoes brightens it, and avocado or a little cheese on top never hurts.

The aromatics here are all easy to grow. Keep a bed of onions and carrots going, grow a patch of oregano to dry, and a pot of parsley for the finish.