Blood orange and black bean?

Paul's had blood oranges this weekend so I bought a couple. One is going in a fennel and orange risotto tonight. While flipping through a cookbook at Carmichael's the other day I saw a black bean and orange soup that sounded interesting. I don't remember the cookbook, so now I'm in search of a nice winter meat-free black bean soup that uses the zest and juice of a blood orange. Any ideas?

Well, a good bean soup always has some acid in the form of lemon juice or vinegar, for piquancy. So I don't see why it wouldn't work. I'd use a bit of zest and a bit of juice. But I have to be honest - blood oranges are tasty and lovely, but at three times the price of regular oranges, why not use regular oranges? No one will be able to tell the difference. Unless you're a cook that loves the fancy ingredient names and you feel a moral obligation to actually use them. Heh.

Sorry I dont have anything for black beans but....we made a great salad using blood orange supremes,fennel bulb(run over the mandoline),lemon&blood orange juice,olive oil,pepper and topped with a bit of pecorino. Mario Batali's molto italiano suggests using pomegrante seeds with this also.

But I have to be honest - blood oranges are tasty and lovely, but at three times the price of regular oranges, why not use regular oranges? No one will be able to tell the difference.

I see your point but one of the reasons that I picked some up is so that the person who orders the produce at that store will be more inclined to try out some other less common varieties once they see there is an interest for said items. I also feel that the farmer who takes the extra effort and cost involved should be rewarded for their effort. Obviously I will take every effort to support local farmers but my interest in helping growers does not stop at the Kentucky border. Plus they do look cool.

John, (he says rushing to the lady's defense), I think Marsha was refering to the oranges in the Black Bean Soup. I should let her speak for herself but I seem to be having a little co-dependancy slip.
I made a wild rice salad with roasted shallots, blood oranges, and pomegranite this Christmas that was a huge hit.

John, (he says rushing to the lady's defense), I think Marsha was refering to the oranges in the Black Bean Soup. I should let her speak for herself but I seem to be having a little co-dependancy slip.
I made a wild rice salad with roasted shallots, blood oranges, and pomegranite this Christmas that was a huge hit.

Gary's right - lord, John, I would never impugn a fancy citrus grower. I love blood oranges, they are so sweet and pretty - we had two for apertifs tonight! I just meant, you could probably get away with not-blood oranges in your black bean soup. Your mileage may vary.

Gotcha..my bad. I should have known better than to question her majesty Marsha I hope to one day be allowed to remove myself from this fetid and festering place of exile and be delivered back into the good graces of Marsha.

Oh, holy sh*t. It hurts to laugh that hard.

I will kick your ass when again I see you, John Hagan. Off with your head!

Totally sentimental reasons I bought the two oranges (and now am compelled to use them). I cooked with blood oranges in a super-fun one-day cooking class in Florence a few years ago and looked high and low for them when we came home. In a post-trip blues mode I was all kinds of depressed to not find them anywhere. So when I saw them at Pauls ... had to pick up a couple.

I used one last night in a fennel risotto. It was totally lost, couldn't even taste it.