Cream of Black Bean Soup
	
	1/3 cup olive oil
	1/2 lb. bacon,diced
	4 large onions,chopped
	3 large celery ribs with leaves,chopped
	4 cloves of garlic,minced
	1 lb. black beans (about 2 1/2 cups)
	1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
	2 teaspoons ground cumin
	5 cans (14.5 fl. oz. each) chicken broth, about 8 3/4 cups
	1/4 cup red wine vinegar
	1/2 cup sherry
	
	Assorted condiments:cooked rice,chopped cilantro,salsa,shredded cheddar
	sour cream,chopped scallions,chopped hard-boiled eggs,chopped green peppers
	
	Heat oil in 5 qt dutch oven or heavy sauce pot over medium-high heat.
	Add bacon, onions, and celery and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to
	medium. Cook, stirring occaisionally,30-40 minutes until vegetables are
	very soft and lightly browned. Add garlic.
	
	Pick over beans,remove bad ones, rinse and drain. Add beans to pan with
	cayenne, cumin, and broth;bring everything to a boil over high heat.
	
	Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook until beans mash easily,about 3
	hours. Skim fat from the soup and discard. Allow soup to cool slightly
	and then puree small portions at a time in food processor or blender.
	
	Soup must be cool enough not to crack the machines! Also, small batches
	or it will blow the lid 'clean hoff'(my comment). Return soup to pan and
	cook over medium-high until very hot. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar
	and sherry. Serve with condiments (serves 10-12)
	
	This soup is also amended well by using chipotle,moritas or other smoked
	peppers. And this is also a dish where vinegar based chili concoctions
	works well.There are many places to very the recipe and I have had a real
	rich soup with the addition of half and half cream, about a quart, at the
	final addition of vinegar and sherry.
	
	The soup is great as it appears above in the recipe without any changes, and
	gets even better the next day, and the next, in the fridge.

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