Sunday Black-Bean Soup

• 1 pound dried black beans
• 1/2 pound bacon, preferably nitrite-free
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 to 2 tablespoons canola or corn oil
• 4 coarsely chopped carrots
• 3 coarsely chopped onions
• 3 coarsely chopped celery ribs
• 1/2 to 1 fresh jalapeno pepper or 1 3 1/2- to 4-ounce can mild jalapenos, minced
• 3 finely chopped garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt to taste
• 1 pound spicy sausage (see note)
• 1 cup dry sherry
• Juice from 1/2 to 1 lime
• 5 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, optional

1. To soak beans quickly, cover them with generous amount of water, cover pot, bring water to boil and boil 2 minutes.
2. Remove cover and allow beans to sit in the liquid for one hour.
3. Drain.
4. Meanwhile, slice meaty part of bacon from fat.
5. Discard fat.
6. When beans are ready to cook, add meaty bacon to beans along with chicken stock and enough water to cover generously; cover and bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat and simmer.
8. In hot oil, saute carrots, onions, celery, jalapeno, garlic and cumin until onions are golden.
9. When vegetables are ready, add to pot of beans.
10. If there is not enough water, add more.
11. Cook beans 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until tender.
12. Season with salt, if desired.
13. Just before beans are ready, cook sausage; slice into small chunks.
14. Drain the bean mixture and reserve cooking liquid.
15. Puree beans and vegetables, using some of the reserved liquid to make a thick soup.
16. Return to cooking pot.
17. Stir in sherry and lime juice.
18. Add more reserved liquid, if necessary, and reheat to serve.
19. Divide sausage chunks among bowls, and spoon soup into each bowl.
20. Sprinkle with cilantro.

black beans, bacon, chicken stock, corn oil, carrots, onions, celery ribs, pepper, garlic, ground cumin, salt, sausage, sherry, lime, fresh cilantro

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/3881 (may not work)