This recipe is from A Taste of Puerto Rico, Too! Everything You Need To Know About Puerto Rican Cooking By: Angela Spenceley

Equipment Needed:

Large Stock Pot
Ladle
Saute Pan

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. dried black beans, soaked, rinsed and picked over for small stones and broken beans
• 1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
• 1 small ham bone, with meat on it
• 2 ounces diced salt pork
• 1/2 cup annatto oil
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 3/4 cup minced onion
• 4 sweet chili pepper, seeded and minced (aji dulce)
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. fresh oregano, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. black pepper, crushed
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar

Procedure:

1. Place beans in a stock pot cover with stock. Add ham bone and salt pork. Cook for 45 minutes.
2. Remove one cup of black beans, draining liquid back into stock pot, reserve the beans. Bring to simmer, reduce heat, and cover.
3. In a large saute pan, heat annatto oil and saute garlic, onion, and chili pepper for 7 to 8 minutes. Add one cup of reserved black beans and mash into the skillet along with onion/garlic mixture.
4. Add skillet mixture to kettle, stirring in salt, oregano, bay leaf, cumin and black pepper. Cover and  simmer on low for 45 minutes.
5. Stir in sherry and vinegar an simmer for another 3o minutes.
6. Remove cover and cool until soup thickens. Remove ham bone, adjust seasoning, and garnish with fresh minced onion.