Sherried Black Bean Soup With Cumin Creme Fraiche

• 1 # dried black beans
• 1 # spicy italian sausage
• 3 tblsp oil
• 1 lg onion,chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 carrots, peel, chopped
• 1 med jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup sherry
• 9 cup chicken broth
• 1 lg ham hock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp thyme
• 3 tblsp fresh lime juice
• 1 c creme fraiche or sour cream
• 1 tsp cumin
• chopped green onions

1. cover beans by 2" in heavy pot. bring to boil. remove from heat,cover,let stand 1 hour. drain, transfer to bowl.
2. saute sausage till cooked through. transfer sausage to med bowl, leaving drippings. add oil to drippings;add veggies, saute till golden. add sherry and simmer till halfed. add beans, broth, hock, bay leaves and thyme. simmer till beans tender, 1 1/2 hours. discard bay leaves. transfer 2 cups beans to blender, cool slightly and puree. return to pot.add lime juice. remove hock and put meat into soup. season with salt and pepper.
3. whisk cream with cumin. serve soup with green onion and cream.

black beans, italian sausage, tblsp oil, onion, celery stalks, carrots, jalapeno pepper, garlic, sherry, chicken broth, ham hock, bay leaves, thyme, lime juice, creme fraiche, cumin, green onions

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/sherried-black-bean-soup-with-cumin-creme-fraiche-50071455 (may not work)