Roasted Eggplant, Tomato & Black Bean Soup

 What to make to make in the inaugural use of my new Le Creseut dutch oven?  Spoiled this year with a beautiful gift of a dutch oven I was both nervous and excited to create something in this magical cookware.  Does it really make things better?  Well, the verdict is out on that but I will choose to believe all things made in this pot will taste better than any version before.

 Eggplant soup is a new one for me.  Roasting the vegetables before going into the soup adds depth of flavour to this comforting fall meal.  As with most soups, this one gets better a few days out.  We ate ours with a little queso fresco on top, but I'm sure some old cheddar would taste good too.  Next time I might go for some avocado or crumbled tortilla chips too.  Make this one soon, because the tomato and eggplant season is fleeting.  And if you've got a nice shiny new pot, this is a great way to break it in.

Roasted Eggplant, Tomato and Black Bean Soup

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

4 cups tomatoes, halved
1 large eggplant cut into cubes
1 large onion, quartered
1 head garlic
1 hot pepper, halved with seeds removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 cups black beans
4 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth
3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco
hot sauce (optional)
salt/pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap garlic head in tinfoil and drizzle with a little olive oil.  Arrange tomatoes, eggplant, onion and hot pepper on 2 large baking sheets that are brushed with oil. Place wrapped garlic in oven as well.  Roast 50 minutes, stirring and flipping every 15min. Remove garlic from tinfoil and squeeze the roasted garlic into a heavy, large saucepan. Add the vegetables and before washing up those baking sheets, add about 1/4 cup of water and scraped off any browned bits.  Add this "deglazed" water and the stock to the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until onion is very tender, about 30min.   Cool slightly and working in batches puree in blender until smooth.  Return to pot and add black beans.  Return to simmer.  Serve with queso fresco cheese crumbled on top and possibly a little extra hot sauce.  Season with salt/pepper. Enjoy!