Smokey Vegetarian Cuban Black Bean Soup

• 1 pound dried black beans
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano, crushed between your fingers
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup diced smoked tempeh bacon (such as Lightlife(R) Organic Smoky Tempeh Strips(R))
• 2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup sliced hard-boiled eggs (optional)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1. Place black beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight. Drain beans and rinse with fresh water.
2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat; cook and stir yellow onion, paprika, and cumin seeds until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add red bell pepper, green bell pepper, garlic, oregano, and bay leaves; cook and stir until onion is translucent and bell peppers are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Mix vegetable stock, black beans, tempeh, rum, and jalapeno pepper into onion mixture. Increase heat to medium-high, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until beans are tender, about 45 minutes.
4. Pour water into bean mixture; season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beans begin to fall apart and soup thickens, 30 to 40 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Remove and discard bay leaves from soup.
5. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with hard-boiled eggs and red onion.

black beans, vegetable oil, yellow onion, paprika, cumin seeds, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, garlic, oregano, bay leaves, vegetable stock, bacon, dark rum, pepper, water, salt, salt, eggs, red onion

Taken from www.allrecipes.com/recipe/237345/smokey-vegetarian-cuban-black-bean-soup/ (may not work)