Spanish Black Bean Soup

Description
Canned beans help to short cut the cooking process and turns out wonderfully in this filling soup



Ingredients

 * 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
 * 2 cups fresh onions or frozen onions, about 2 medium yellow onions
 * 1 cup frozen bell peppers, stir-fry mixed red, green, and yellow peppers; do not thaw
 * ⅓ cup Spanish ham or prosciutto, finely diced
 * 1 clove garlic, minced
 * 1 large whole bay leaf
 * ½ teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
 * ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
 * 2 (1 lbs) cans black beans, with their liquid
 * 1 (14.5 ounces) can beef broth
 * 3 tablespoons dry sherry
 * salt
 * ground black pepper
 * 3 cups leftover cooked rice, reheated
 * 2 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
 * 4 tablespoons Italian parsley, coarsely chopped

Directions

 * 1) Heat oil in large sauce pan over high heat about 2 minutes.
 * 2) Add onion, stir fry mix, ham, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and coriander.
 * 3) Stir well to coat, reduce heat to medium, cover and allow tastes to mingle for about 10 minutes add beans and liquid, broth, and sherry; adjust heat so soup bubbles slightly, cover and simmer about 15 minutes.
 * 4) Remove bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper to serve, mound ½ cup rice in each of heated large soup plates.
 * 5) Ladle in soup, then top with scattering of hard-cooked egg and parsley.