Recipe - Black Bean Soup With Jalapenos

8 Jalapeno chiles; stems and
Removed; chopped
1 tablespoon Dried crushed red chile;
seeds included
2 cup Black beans; sorted and
2 tablespoon Bacon fat or vegetable oil
2 md Onions; chopped
40 ml Garlic; minced
1 lg Ham hock
1 cup Canned tomatoes; chopped
2 teaspoon Ground cumin
1 teaspoon Ground epazote (optional)
1 teaspoon Ground coriander
One fourth teaspoon Ground cloves
1 tablespoon Red wine vinegar
1 cup Water
3 tablespoon Tequila (optional)
Sour cream for garnish

Cover the beans with water and soak overnight, or quick soak them.

Saute the onion and garlic in the bacon fat until soft.

Combine all the ingredients, except the tequila and sour cream, in a large
pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 23 hours or until
the beans are soft.

Remove the ham hock and shred the meat.

Divide the soup in half, puree half of it and add back to the reamining
soup. Add the shredded meat and simmer for 15 minutes or until thickened to
the desired consistency.

Remove from the heat, stir in the tequila, garnish with the sour cream, and
serve.

Serving Suggestions: Serve as a lunch entree with warmed flour tortillas
and a citrus salad.

Source: "The Whole Chile Pepper Book," by Dave DeWitt and Nancy Gerlach,
1990. Little, Brown and Company.