Black Bean Soup

This is our favorite black bean soup.  It's a combo of several.

2 lbs dried black beans, soak overnight according to package directions
1 cup olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced really small
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
4 quarts of water
2 TBS cumin
1 TBS oregano
3 bay leaves
1 TBS plus 2 tsp salt
1-2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup cooking sherry, or the real stuff
1 TBS brown sugar
1 TBS lemon juice

Heat olive oil in a HUGE pot.  Add onion and garlic and cook 10 plus minutes until it starts to turn brown.  Drain soaked beans and add to pot.  Add water plus the next five spices. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 2 hours or until beans are tender.  Stir in sherry, brown sugar, and lemon juice.  Simmer an additional 30 minutes.  Stir every now and then.

*You can add ham or a ham hock to this.  If you do you can add it when you add the water.  You can shred the meat after it cooks for 2 hours.

*We usually do it without the meat!  Mine seem to like it better that way!