Black Bean Soup

Soup Wash the beans according to the directions on the package. Put them into a large pot and cover them with the 3 quarts of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove the pot from the heat and set it aside for 1 hour. After 1 hour, add the ham bone and bay leaf. (If youre using the bouillon cubes, dont add them till directed below. Salt -- a main ingredient in bouillon -- added too soon during cooking toughens the skin on the beans.)

Bring the soup to a slow simmer over medium heat, and simmer it for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the beans are tender. Remove the ham bone, if you used it. Remove about 2 cups of the beans, and either mash or blend them into a paste. Return the mashed beans to the pot, and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the soup has thickened.

While the soup is simmering, saute the diced vegetables in the oil until the onions are translucent. Add the sauteed vegetables, salsa, garlic, seasonings, bouillon cubes (if youre using them) and the diced ham to the soup, and bring it to a boil. Itll be quite thick add a small amount of water if needed to thin slightly. Simmer the soup for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Lime Sour Cream While the soup is simmering, prepare the garnish. Mix the sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, tomatillos, minced onions and salt together. The mixture will be quite runny due to the liquid remaining in the tomatillos, but will thicken after sitting for an hour or so. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Ladle the soup into bowls, and top it with a dollop of lime sour cream, more salsa, some avocado slices, and a sprig of cilantro, if you like. Yield about 12 servings.