- 6 ounces smoky bacon, diced
- 2 tablespoons pure olive oil
- 1 Scotch bonnet chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 large Spanish onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons toasted and ground cumin seeds
- 2 bay leaves, broken in half
- 1 cup Spanish dry sherry
- 2 cups black beans, rinsed, soaked overnight in water to cover, and drained
- 1 smoked ham hock
- 3 quarts Chicken Stock
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 pounds calabaza, peeled, seeded, and cut into bite-sized pieces (you can substitute acorn or another winter squash)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1½ teaspoons fresh lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon toasted and ground coriander seeds
- To prepare the beans, cook the bacon in the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat until beginning to crisp. Stir in the Scotch bonnet and garlic. Turn up the heat to medium-high, add the onion, bell pepper, and celery, and stir to coat. Let the vegetables caramelize, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
- Add the cumin, bay leaves, and sherry, bring to a simmer, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the beans, ham hock, and stock and bring to a simmer. Skim the impurities off the top, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the beans are tender but not mushy, 1 to 1½ hours.
- In the meantime, prepare the calabaza: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the calahaza, butter, sugar, salt, and pepper in a roasting pan or heavy ovenproof skillet and give them a toss. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash is tender when poked with a knife. Set aside in a warm place.
- For the crema: Whisk together all the ingredients in a bowl. Chill until ready to serve.
- Remove the bay leaves from the beans. Scoop 2½ cups of the beans and their broth into a blender, and puree. Pour back into the pot—this will give the soup more body—stir well, and simmer for another 30 minutes.
- Season the soup with salt and pepper. Fold in the calabaza and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and finish with a spoonful of crema in each.