Black Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 c. black beans or 1 can drained black beans
1 onion, chopped
3 or 4 celery stalks, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 chopped green pepper
1/2 c. canned tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. oregano
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire
1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar
1 ham hock (optional)

Preparation

Soak beans for 1 hour in cold water, then cook, covered, for 1 hour.
In olive oil, saute onion, celery, garlic and green pepper.
Add to beans.
Cover bean mixture with water or chicken stock.
Add tomato sauce, oregano, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice or vinegar and ham hock.
Cook for 1 hour.
Remove skin from ham hock.
Cook another hour, then remove ham from bone and chop.
Return ham to soup.
Add chopped parsley to garnish each bowl.