Black Bean Soup

• 1 lb. (16oz) black beans
• 1 white onion
• a bit of garlic
• 1 large pickled jalapeno pepper (from the can or jar)
• 8 cups vegetable stock (from vegetable bullion cubes)
• 3 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 large red bellpepper
• 1 medium sized tomato
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Soak the beans overnight. Before beginning to cook the beans, wash them thoroughly.
2. Prepare the 8 cups of vegetable stock and set to the side(though you may want more or less depending on how thick you like your soup).
3. Coarsely chop the onion, red pepper, jalapeno, and tomato
4. In a pan, saute for 4 minutes chopped onions, garlic, and red pepper with a bit of olive oil.
5. In a large pot, throw in the beans, about half of the vegetable stock, onions, garlic, red pepper, tomato, jalapeno, and cumin.
6. Let it simmer COVERED for about an hour over medium to medium-high heat. You will need to ladle in the access vegetable stock throughout cooking, more or less depending on how thick you like your soup.
7. When the beans are nice and soft, turn off the heat. Puree about half of the soup, and then return this portion to the un-blended portion. Throw in the chopped cilantro, blend well, and serve.
8. ***This goes really well with tortilla strips. Simply purchase ready made tortillas, heat them til crispy on a frying pan (even let them burn a little), and then cut into strips. Serve the strips on the side, or over the soup (but don't let them get too soggy)

black beans, white onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper, vegetable stock, ground cumin, red bellpepper, tomato, fresh cilantro

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/black-bean-soup-1241411 (may not work)