Yucatan Black Bean Soup

• 1 pound black beans
• 6 cups water
• 4 cups rich chicken stock
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 medium white onions chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
In small bowls for garnish, serve:
• chopped green onions, including tops
• lime wedges
• sour cream
• chopped jalapeno peppers and/or chopped Caribbean chilies

Pick over the dry beans. Place beans and water in a soup pot; cover and simmer about 45 minutes. Add chicken stock and simmer till beans are tender, usually about 1 hour. Dip out about 2 cups of bean mixture and run it through a blender or food processor to puree it; then put it back into the pot.
Put the oil in a skillet and saute the onion, garlic, cumin, and oregano until the onions are soft. Add everything to the soup pot except the garnishes. Simmer about 20 minutes more.
Serve with garnishes of choice as toppers.
Contact D'Ana with questions.