2 c. black beans
8 c. cold water
3 med. sized onions, chopped
1/4 c. butter
2 bay leaves
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp. parsley
1 ham hock
1/2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2/3 c. dry sherry (optional)

Place beans in soup kettle with enough water to cover entirely. Soak overnight. Drain water off beans and fill kettle with 8 cups cold water. Cook beans on low heat until soft. Saute garlic, onions and parsley in butter and add to soup kettle along with all other ingredients except sherry. Continue cooking over low heat until soft (about 3 hours). Add small amount of water if beans become too thick.

Remove ham hock from kettle and cut into small pieces. Return to kettle along with sherry. Heat just until hot, adjust seasonings to your taste. Serve hot.

An excellent addition to the soup is shredded Cheddar cheese, with a spoonful of sour cream and chopped raw onions, as a garnish. Makes 6-8 servings.