Recipe: Black Bean Soup (using a ham bone)

BLACK BEAN SOUP

1 pound dried black beans
1 ham bone, any remaining meat removed and diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil, with more if needed
1 large onion, chopped, plus more for serving
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
4 Tbsp. fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
7 cups homemade chicken stock (or 2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans concentrated stock and water to equal 7 cups of thin stock)
Salt to taste
2 Tbsp. red-wine vinegar

Rinse beans in a colander and pick over carefully for rocks. Soak the beans overnight in water to cover. (If you're in a hurry, bring the beans to boil in a large stock pot and boil 1 minute, then turn off heat, cover beans and allow to soak for one hour.)

After soaking, drain and reserve the beans.

Place olive oil in a large, heavy, flameproof casserole or stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions, pepper and celery and saute until soft but not brown.

In a small bowl, mix the garlic, cumin, oregano, mustard and parsley and stir into the onion mixture. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the beans, the remaining stock, the ham bone and the bay leaf. (A cup or a bit more of leftover, diced ham can be added to the soup at this time or, for a firmer texture, later, when the soup is half cooked.) Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer partly covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until beans are soft. (If the soup becomes too thick, add water.)

Taste for salt and add as needed (both the stock and the ham bone contain salt). Remove the bay leaf and add the 2 Tbsp. red-wine vinegar. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more, then ladle over bowls of white rice and top with chopped onion.

NOTE:
For a smoother, more elegant soup that can solo without rice, puree all or some of the beans in a food processor along with some of the soup. Return processed mixture to pot, stir and reheat.

Servings: 6
Adapted from source: The Good Food: Soups, Stews and Pastas by Daniel Halpern and Julie Strand