when i owned the cafe, we had a soup school…..people paid “tuition” for 3 weeks to come to make soups. each team made a soup and then everyone tried each soup. here’s one of the most popular ones:
BEST EVER BLACK BEAN SOUP
2 pounds black beans soaked overnight
2T. lemon juice
1 cup olive oil
3T. cumin
2 cups chopped onion
4 bay leaves
1 red pepper, diced
2T. salt
10 garlic cloves, chopped
2T. blacl pepper
1teasp. cayenne pepper
6T. dried parsley
1/2 cup dry sherry
4 quarts water
sour cream
meaty ham bone (optional)
heat oil in soup pot, add onions, red pepper and garlic, cook til tender. drain beans, add to pot with ham bone and water. stir in spices.
bring to boil, reduce heat and cook covered about 11/2 hours, stirring often. remove ham, if using, shred and return to pot. cook for another 1/2 hour or so, uncovered. stir in sherry and lemon juice. simmer for 15 minutes. serve with dollop of sour cream. note: more water may be needed during cooking, although soup will thicken up as it cools.