Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:
10 sundried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 cup boiling water
1 ½ cup finely chopped onions
3 garlic cloves minced or pressed
1 jalapeno chili, minced, or ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 cup water 3 cups undrained canned tomatoes (28oz can)
4 cups undrained cooked black beans (2 16oz cans)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
addt’l water or tomato juice
yogurt or sour cream

Directions:
Cover sun dried tomatoes with boiling water and set aside In soup pot, sauté onions, garlic, chili or cayenne in oil for about 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add cumin, 1/3 cup water and the juice from the tomatoes. Break up the tomatoes and add them to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the black beans and their liquid, and continue to simmer, stirring occaisionally to prevent sticking. Drain and chop sundried tomatoes. Add them to the soup and cook for 5 to 10 minutes longer, until onions are tender. Stir in cilantro and remove soup from heat. Puree half of the soup in a blender or food processor and return it to the pot. If the soup is too thick, add some water or tomato juice. Reheat gently. Serve each bowl of soup with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream. Serves 4 to 6. This recipe from The Moosewood Restaurant Cookbook.

(Submitted by Susan Smith)