Quite a Tasty Soup

Black Bean Soup with Cilantro-Lime Cream 

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of bacon, chopped
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ¼ cup chopped celery
• 1 tsp. ground cumin, divided
• ½ tsp. chile powder
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 T. minced fresh cilantro
• 1/ tsp. grated lime rind
• 1 T. lime juice

Directions:

1. Cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, reserving 2 tsp. of drippings in the pan and setting the bacon aside. 
2. Add onion and celery to the pan; cook 5 minutes or until celery is tender. 
3. Stir in ¾ tsp. of the cumin, chile powder, and garlic; cook 1 minute. 
4. Stir in pepper, beans, tomatoes, and broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. 
5. Place 3/4 of bean mixture in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl with the rest of the soup and keep warm until ready to serve. 
6. Combine the sour cream, remaining ¼ tsp. cumin, cilantro, rind, and juice in a small bowl. Drizzle cream over soup and sprinkle each serving with bacon before serving.