Black Bean Soup

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
7 – 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped or squeezed
1 pound (2 cups) black beans
5 cups water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 Knorr’s vegetable bullions
2 tablespoons parsley
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Open the package and spread the beans out on a cookie sheet.  Inspect them and remove any stones, ugly beans or foreign material.  Then rinse the beans in cold water.

Boil the beans in 5 cups of water for 2-3 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let them soak for 1 hour, covered.  (Alternative:  Soak the beans in cold water overnight, discard the water and use fresh water to cook the beans.)

Heat the oil in a skillet. Sauté the onions over moderate heat for 6-8 minutes.  Add the garlic and continue to sauté an additional 8-9 minutes, turning occasionally, until the onions are somewhat caramelized.

Heat up the beans, add the onions and add all the remaining ingredients.  Add water (if needed) and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for 2 hours, covered, stirring every 30 minutes.

Using a potato masher, press the beans two or three times to break some of them up.  (Note:  The object is to thicken the liquid base of the soup, not to mash all the beans). Cover and simmer gently for an additional 10 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8.