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 (, about 2 medium yellow onions)
 * 1 cup frozen bell peppers,, stir-fry mix -- red, green, and yellow peppers; do not thaw (, stir-fry mix -- red, green, and yellow *peppers; do not thaw)
 * 1/3 cup Spanish ham or prosciutto, finely diced
 * 1 clove garlic, minced
 * 1 large whole bay leaf
 * 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
 * 1/4 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
Heat oil in large sauce pan over high heat about 2 minutes. Add onion, stir fry mix, ham, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and coriander. 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. Remove bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper To serve, mound 1/2 cup rice in each of heated large soup plates. Ladle in soup, then top with scattering of hard-cooked egg and parsley.