Cuban Black Bean & Red Pepper Soup

Method

1. In a large saucepan, add the beans with all of their other ingredients, cover and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for about 1½ hours, or until soft. If using canned beans, cook for only 30 minutes. When they are cooked, discard the onion, (bell) pepper and bay leaf, then transfer a ladleful of beans to a bowl and mash them.
2. While the beans are cooking, make the sofrito. Heat the oil in another pan and fry the garlic for a few seconds, then tip in the onion and chopped red or yellow (bell) peppers and fry over a low heat until soft. Add the cumin, oregano and bay leaf and cook for a few minutes together.
3. Roast the halved red or yellow (bell) peppers directly over a gas flame or under a grill/broiler, skin-side towards the heat source. When the skin is blackened all over, place the peppers in a plastic bag for a few minutes. Take them out, remove the skin and chop the flesh.
4. Stir the mashed beans into the sofrito. Add the remaining cooked beans with their liquid and stir in the vinegar, sugar and salt (about ½ teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt should be just about right.) Combine the skinned and chopped red or yellow (bell) peppers with the rest of the soup and simmer everything together for a few minutes.
5. For the salsa, in a food processor, pulse the chilli/chile, shallot, garlic and vinegar to a purée. Add the chopped tomatoes, cumin and herbs and pulse again briefly. Season with salt and sugar to taste.
6. Serve the soup with a dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream and one of salsa.