Caribbean-Style Black Bean Soup

Recipe from Fix It & Forget It Cookbook: Feasting with Your Slow Cooker
Sheryl Shenk

1 lb dried black beans, washed & stones removed
3 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped (I use red sweet pepper.)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ham hock, or 3/4 C cubed ham
1T oil
1T ground cumin
2t dried oregano
1t dried thyme
1T salt
1/2t pepper
3C water
2T vinegar (I use cider vinegar.)
sour cream
fresh chopped cilantro

1. Soak beans overnight in 4 qts water. Drain.
2. Combine beans, onions, green pepper, garlic, ham, oil, cumin, oregano, thyme, salt pepper, and 3C fresh water. Stir well.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours, or on High 4-5 hours.
4. For a thick soup, remove half of cooked bean mixture and puree or mash with a potato masher. Return to cooker. If you like a soup-ier soup, leave as is.
5. Add vinegar and stir well. Debone ham, cut into bite-sized pieces, and return to soup.
6. Serve in soup bowls with a dollop of sour cream in the middle of each individual serving, topped with fresh cilantro.
   

Modifications: I've used ham and also pork butt. I usually use a little more than it calls for. Also, because I like my soup thick and smooth, I remove the ham and use my stick blender to puree the soup while in the crock pot. I cut up the pork and then return it to the soup pot.