Cuban Black Bean Soup 5/95 ****

Categories:
Mexican, soups-stews

1 lb beans; dried, black
1 cup onion; chopped
1 tablespoon butter
4 cup water
12 oz picnic ham
1 beef bouillon cube
1 teaspoon bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon louisiana hot sauce or
1 teaspoon dried, chopped red peppers
1 cup green bell pepper; chopped
1/3 cup meiers dark rum
1 cup sour cream

Sort and soak beans overnight: drain and discard soak water. In a 4 qt. pot, saute onion in butter until tender. Add beans, 4 cups water, bouillon cube, ham, hot sauce, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, & salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove 1 cup beans from pot, mash, and return to pot. Remove ham and cut it up. Return ham to pot with green pepper and rum. Simmer about another 15 minutes. Serve beans over rice or corn bread and top with sour cream.

Yield: 6 servings