Sopa de Frijoles Negros

Ingredients

 * 1 lb. black beans, dried
 * 1 cup of chopped onions
 * 1 tblsp. butter or margarine
 * 4 cups of water
 * 1 Beef bouillon cube
 * 12 ounces of cooked lean Ham
 * 2 bay leaves
 * 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
 * 1/2 teaspoon salt
 * 1 dried whole red pepper
 * 1 cup of chopped green bell pepper

Directions

 * 1) Sort and soak Beans overnight, then drain and discard the water used for soaking. In a 4-quart pot, saute Onion in butter or margarine until tender but not browned. Add soaked Beans, 4 cups water, bouillon cube, Ham (cut into 4-6 chunks), bay leaves, thyme, oregano, salt & red pepper. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until Beans are tender, 1 to 1-1/2 hour. Remove 1 cup of Beans from stew, mash in a bowl with Potato masher or fork. Add mashed Beans to stew; stir to thicken. Remove Ham and dice. Remove bay leaves and red pepper, if used and discard. Add diced meat and green pepper to Beans. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Serve Beans over fluffy white rice.
 * 2) Serves 4