Name: Red-Bean Soup with Gremolata
Ingredients: 1 (1-pound) bag dried red kidney beans, picked over and rinsed; 1 large onion, chopped; 4 large garlic cloves, chopped; 4 fresh ají dulce chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped; 2 Cubanelle peppers (Italian green frying peppers), seeded and chopped; 1/2 cup chopped recao (culantro) or cilantro leaves; 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (preferably oil-packed), drained; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling; 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf; 1/2 teaspoon sweet piment&ocute;n (smoked paprika); 2 1/2 quarts water; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley; 2 1/2 quarts water; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

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Red-Bean Soup with GremolataMikkel Vang

Latin-food authority Maricel Presilla describes sofrito—the sautéed mix of aromatic vegetables that is the bedrock of this vegetarian soup—as the DNA of the Latin kitchen because it carries a basic flavor code. There's onion and garlic, to be sure, but also tomatoes and various herbs, spices, and chiles, depending on the region. For this red-bean soup, we were inspired specifically by Puerto Rico, as evidenced by recao (an herb similar to cilantro) and by chiles that are fruity rather than hot. Just for fun, we included a last-minute sprinkling of Italian gremolata for brightness.

Cooks notes:

•If ají dulce chiles are not available, substitute 1 additional Cubanelle pepper.
•Soup, without gremolata, can be made 3 days ahead and chilled. Thin with water if desired when reheating.

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