Good Question: What Goes with Black Bean Soup?

Dear The Kitchen,

I'm part of a rotating dinner party group and I'm up next. I've got a killer recipe for vegetable black bean soup that's pretty hearty and spicy, but I'm not sure what else to serve with it.

I was thinking maybe cornbread or something, but do you have suggestions for bread, salads, sides or types of wine that would go well with such a soup? Thanks! And I'll let you know how it goes!
- Marie

(To All Good Questions)

Dear Marie,

The first thing that popped into my head was my mom's beer bread recipe. It's buttery (not to mention beer-y) and dipped into a spicy black bean soup, it would be divine, especially in winter. A quick google search will turn up many recipes, all similar to one another (it's a pretty basic formula). I will also post mom's recipe once I get my hands on it this weekend.

As for wine, I patched in a message to Jenny, our wine correspondent, and she says "Here are my three, totally oppositional recommendations:"

1) A rich, alcoholic, extracted Zinfandel, like a Ridge. Or try Bodegas Juan Gil Jumilla Monastrell - a Spanish wine available in NYC at Union Square Wines & Spirits, and Astor Wines. Something with lots and lots of fruit, big alcohol but not too much tannin. Tannin and black beans are not friendly with one another.

2) A dry Sherry; these are an acquired taste, personally I love them but they are bone dry, mildly oxidative and really nutty. Either a fino or a Manzanilla but not a cream Sherry.

3) Demi-Sec Vouvray, a soft light Chenin Blanc with a hint of sweetness, just a hint.

Good luck!

Comments (1)

Now I know what I'm going to do w/ that Easter ham bone this weekend! Here's the best beer bread recipe that is tried & true. I'm involved in a women's organization whose members have been making MANY loaves of this fabulous, tasty, easy bread, selling it each year (@ 50 cents a slice!) to raise funds for charity.

Eula's Beer Bread
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a bread pan w/ cooking spray. If it's the new non-stick pan, don't grease at all.

In a large bowl, stir together w/ a wooden spoon:
3 cups self-rising flour
1/2 c sugar
Add 1 can room temperature, not flat, beer.
Stir just until moistened & dump into the pan. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes, buttering the top after the first 45 minutes w/ butter or margarine, and then again in 15 minutes, and again when you pull it out of the oven. I use soft margarine & a paint brush. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

DON'T try to make this "healthy" by cutting down on the sugar. That's the secret, the sweet/salty thing going on w/ the sugar & the beer & the butter!

This is a "quick bread" that shouldn't be overmixed. We've found the new non-stick pans will burn on the bottom when the butter melts down the sides.