Cuban Black Bean Soup with Sofrito

Ingredients:

• 450 g black beans
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 Italian roasted pepper, halved
• Olive oil for frying, plus 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large diced white onion
• 1 large red pepper, diced
• 1 large diced green pepper
• 6 chopped cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1/8 cup table vinegar
• Salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion for garnish

Preparation:

1. In a large saucepan, cover the beans with water to a level 2 inches above the surface. Add the bay leaf, cumin, oregano, and Italian peppercorns. Cook until the beans are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove the peppercorns after the beans are cooked.
2. In a frying pan, sauté the onion, red pepper, and green pepper until translucent. Puree in a blender to make sofrito.
   
   In the same pan, sauté the garlic. Add the beans along with the sofrito, 1/4 cup olive oil, sugar, and vinegar. Season with salt and cook until thickened, about 45 minutes. Garnish with finely chopped red onion.