Cuban Style Black Bean Soup

I am finally getting around to making my black bean soup for the first time this winter (well okay its Spring now but you get the idea). I am posting the recipe I have been using for years although I made a few change this time which i will note at the end.

1 pound bag of dried black beans (soaked)

1 large (or two small) sweet onions, chopped (yellow would be fine since the're being cooked)

3-4 stalks of celery, chopped

3-4 carrots, sliced (I used 1/2 of a 1 lb bag of baby carrots)

3-4 large garlic cloves (more if small)

1 large jalapeño, finely chopped

1 ham bone (with some meat left on it)

1 15 oz can Hunts tomato sauce

1 c low sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock

6-8 c water

3 T red wine vinegar

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 tsp oregano

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp summer savory

1/8 tsp allspice

black pepper

drizzle of olive oil to sauté the vegetables

In large soup pot, drizzle the olive oil and heat on low. Add the chopped onions, chop the next vegetable, add, stir and so on until all are in the pot then continue to sauté until onions and celery are soft, taking care not to let them brown.

Add remaining ingredients and make sure the ham bone is covered by liquids. Simmer about 2 hours. Remove ham bone after 1 1/2 hours and pick meat off, shred and return to pot (discard the bone).

Serve with a dollap of sour cream and chopped cilantro. I like to serve with corn bread but had some tamales in the freezer and served them instead.

Notes:

I normally use crushed red pepper but put in jalapeño instead this time. I keep some in the freezer most of the time and it seems like a more traditional ingredient so I made that part of the main recipe.

I used a 29 oz can tomato sauce this time, 1 c chicken broth 1 cup vege broth and a little less water. It was a more tomato-ey soup than usual but was very good.

I want to try adding a green bell pepper next time but did not have one on hand today.

I happened to have about a cup of chopped butternut squash in the frig so I threw that in and it was very good, plus added a little color.