Black Bean Soup

Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 cup black beans, dried
• 3 cups water
• 1 lb ham bone or 1 lb ham shank or 1 lb smoked lamb hock
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 garlic clove, chopped finely
• 1 bay leaf, small
• 1 carrot, medium, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 celery, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 onion, meduim, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 tablespoons red onions, if desired (chopped or sliced)
• 3 lemon slices, cut in 1/2 (optional)
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped (optional)

Recipe

• 1 heat beans and water in 4 quart dutch oven to boil. continue boiling for 2 minutes uncovered, remove from heat. let stand for 1 hour.
• 2 add ham bone, heat to boiling; reduce heat. cover and simmer about 2 hours or until beans are tender.
• 3 stir in salt, red pepper, garlic, bay leaf, carrot, celery and 1/2 cup of onion. cover and simmer 1 hour.
• 4 remove ham bone and bay leaf. if desired place cooked beans in a blender and blend to uniform consistency. trim ham from the bone then stir into soup.
• 5 serve with red onion, lemon and eggs if desired.