1 lb. dried black beans
2 quarts water
2/3 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled, finely chopped
2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
6 sweet chili or Ancho peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
2 tsp. powdered chicken or ham bouillon
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. whole dried oregano, crushed
2 tbsp. sugar
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp. dry wine
1 1/2 tbsp. vinegar
1/2 cup chopped onions

Pick over beans, discarding any shriveled, broken beans and foreign particles. Wash well and soak overnight in sufficient water to cover plus an additional 2-inches.

The next day, drain beans; rinse in fresh running water and drain again. Discard any beans that float to top or are split.

Place in large pot of water. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat 2/3 cups olive oil and gently sauté garlic, onions, and chili peppers for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you have pork, bacon, salt pork or ham (even leftovers or a ham bone), you can chop it up and sauté it in the oil for added flavor, (or in the case of a bone, add it to the soup) but this is optional.

Add 1 cup of drained cooked black beans and mash together with the rest of the ingredients in skillet.

Add this mixture to the pot with 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, sugar, bouillon, and bay leaves.

Cover and simmer 1 hour on medium heat. Add wine and vinegar, cover, and cook over low heat for another 30 minutes. Uncover and cook until sauce thickens as desired; add more water if required.

Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. Sprinkle with chopped onions and serve.

Notes: 1 cup of dried black beans yields approximately 2 1/2 cups cooked beans. If you're in a hurry, beans may be cooked in a pressure cooker for 20 minutes at 10 lbs. pressure. Check the user guide that came with your pressure cooker for specifics.

Submitted by: CM