KNOWN ALSO AS TURTLE BEANS, BLACK BEANS HAVE
been used in the Deep South to make this inimitable soup since at least the early nineteenth century, and even today, turtle bean soup is deemed to be one of the most elegant ways to begin an elaborate dinner. Ironically, the greatest version I ever tasted was prepared by the Greek owner of The Coach House in New York City, who obtained the recipe in Atlanta when he originally operated a restaurant there called The Coach & Six. The soup can be made with beef bones, salt pork, ham hocks, tomatoes, beef stock, and countless other ingredients, depending on the region.
The one cardinal rule is that it must be silky smooth and contain either Madeira or sherry. There is a quick method for making the soup, whereby the beans are boiled 5 minutes and allowed to stand 1 hour instead of being soaked overnight, then slowly simmered; but I’m convinced that the texture of the soup is not the same when this shortcut is taken.

Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups dried turtle beans (black beans)
• 8 cups water
• 1/4 cup peanut oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 smoked ham bone, trimmed of excess fat
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup Madeira
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 hard-boiled large eggs, chopped
• Thin pitted lemon slices for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse and pick over the beans, then place them in a large pot with enough water to cover, and let them soak overnight.
2. Drain the beans and add 8 cups of fresh water to the pot. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer the beans for 1 1/2 hours.
4. In another large pot, heat the peanut oil over moderate heat.
5. Add the chopped onions, celery, and garlic to the pot, and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes.
6. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute longer.
7. Add the cooked beans and their liquid, the smoked ham bone, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to the pot.
8. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 3 hours.
9. Remove and discard the ham bone and bay leaves. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid in a separate saucepan.
10. Transfer the beans to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Then, scrape the pureed beans into a large pot.
11. Add the reserved cooking liquid, salt, pepper, Madeira, and lemon juice to the pot with the pureed beans.
12. Simmer the soup until it is piping hot, for about 5 to 10 minutes.
13. To serve, ladle the soup into soup plates. Sprinkle the chopped hard-boiled eggs over the tops of the soup, and garnish each portion with a slice of lemon.