Recipe: Black Bean and Smoked Chicken Soup (Rosie Daley)

BLACK BEAN AND SMOKED CHICKEN SOUP

1/2 cup dried black beans
2 cups water
1 bay leaf
Light vegetable oil cooking spray
1/2 cup peeled and chopped broccoli stems
1/2 cup scraped and cubed carrot (1 medium carrot)
1 cup scraped and cubed celery (2 medium stalks)
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium onion)
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp dried basil
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast
4 tbsp barbecue sauce (no-oil variety)
1 cup chicken stock, fat skimmed off
12 oz. evaporated skim milk
2 cups broccoli florets (1 bundle)
1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp liquid smoke
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (for garnish)

Pick over and rinse beans. Place in large bowl and cover completely with cold water. Let the beans soak overnight (or at least 8 hours).

THE NEXT DAY:
Drain the beans and transfer them to a medium saucepan. Add the 2 cups water and bay leaf. Bring to boil over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until the beans are tender. Drain beans and discard bay leaf.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a heavy stockpot over medium heat for about 1 minute, then spray it twice with the vegetable oil. Add the broccoli stems, carrot, celery and onion. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Stir in the thyme, basil, and wine. Simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, until the wine has been reduced by half.

In the meantime, coat the chicken thoroughly with the barbecue sauce and bake on the top shelf of the oven at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to cool just long enough to handle. Cut the chicken into small cubes.

Add the chicken, chicken stock, and beans to the stockpot. Cook over low heat for about 3 minutes, until thoroughly heated.

Stir in the evaporated milk and the broccoli florets. Cook for 5 minutes more, stirring constantly.

Stir in the liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco sauce. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Makes 4 servings
Fat per serving = 3.6 grams
Calories per serving = 368

Source: In The Kitchen with Rosie: Oprah's Favorite Recipes by Rosie Daley