Recipe: Van's Black Bean Soup

Adapted from "The Silver Palette Cookbook"

Serves 8

1 cup olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 pound black beans, soaked in water overnight

2 meaty ham hocks

32 ounces chicken broth

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon dried oregano

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 small can (6 ounce) tomato paste

Juice of one small lemon

¼ cup dry sherry

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Sour cream for garnish

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onions and garlic and cook over low heat until onion is transparent, about 10 minutes.

2. Drain the beans and add them, the ham hocks and the chicken broth to the pot. Stir in the cumin, oregano, bay leaves and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, until beans are very tender and liquid is reduced by about one quarter. This will take 1 ½ to 2 hours.

3. Transfer ham hocks to a plate and cool slightly. Pull off any remaining meat with your fingers and shred finely. Return meat to the pot.

4. Stir in brown sugar, tomato paste and lemon juice. Simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

5. Stir in sherry and mustard and simmer 3 to 5 minutes more.

6. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream.