Black Bean Cassoulet Soup

Yields:	16 servings
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Ingredients

2	pounds	black beans	dried
1 1/4	cups	olive oil
3	cups	onions	yellow, diced
12	cloves	garlic	crushed
1	each	ham bone	very meaty, or 2 smoked ham hocks
8	quarts	water
3 1/2	tablespoons	cumin	ground
2	tablespoons	oregano	dried
3	each	bay leaves
1	tablespoon	kosher salt
1	tablespoon	black pepper	freshly ground
1	pinch	cayenne pepper
8	tablespoons	italian parsley	chopped fresh
1 3/4-2	pounds	garlic sausage
6	each	italian sausage	sweet, cut into 1inch pieces
6	each	italian sausage	hot, cut into 1inch pieces
1	pound	bratwurst	cut into 1inch pieces
3	medium	sweet red bell peppers	cored, seeded, diced
1/4	cup	sherry	dry
3	tablespoons	brown sugar, dark
2	tablespoons	lemon juice	fresh
1	x	sour cream

Directions

1. Soak the black beans in water to cover overnight.

2. Heat 1 cup of the oil in a large heavy stock pot over low heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are limp, about 10 minutes.

3. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the stock pot. Add the ham bone and 6 quarts of the water. Stir in the cumin, oregano, bay leaves, salt, pepper, cayenne, and 3 tablespoons of the parsely. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered at a slow rolling boil for 2 hours, skimming foam from the top and stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

4. Place the garlic sausage in a medium-size saucepan and add the remaining 2 quarts water. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes. Drain. Remove casings and cut into 1/2-inch slices.

5. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the Italian sausages and sauté until browned. Remove the sausages with a slotted spoon.

6. In the same skillet, sauté the bratwurst until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon.

7. After 2 hours of cooking, process 2 cups of the beans in a food processor fitted with a steel blade until smooth and return to the pot. Continue to cook for 30 minutes.

8. Add all the sausages and the red peppers and cook for another 30 minutes.

9. Remove the ham bone from the soup, shred the meat and return to the pot. Stir in the sherry, sugar, and lemon juice.

10. Cook over medium heat until the beans are very soft and the soup is thick, 30 to 45 minutes. Stir in the remaining 5 tablespoons chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings.

11. Ladle the soup into soup bowls and dollop each serving with sour cream.

Makes 16 portions.