Black Bean Soup with Bacon & Sherry

Place 6 strips of bacon in a large nonstick skillet and set over medium heat. Cook until the bacon is crisp. Set aside to drain on a piece of paper towel. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat; discard the rest.

Pour the reserved bacon fat into a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add celery, red jalapeno pepper, and green pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softening, 3 to 5 minutes. Add ground cumin and black beans, and stir to combine with vegetables. Stir in chicken broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low, partially cover the saucepan, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove the soup from the heat and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender (or a blender or food processor – you will have to do this in batches), puree the soup until almost smooth. Be sure to leave some small pieces of black beans for texture.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with sour cream, crumbled bacon, and cilantro. If desired, pour a small shot (1 to 2 teaspoons) of dry sherry into each bowl and allow each person to stir it into the soup.