Ingredients:

The black, or turtle bean, has a distinctive flavor and is popular in tropical cooking. The soup should be rich mahogany brown when completed.

• 1 lb dried black beans, soaked overnight
• ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 cups good chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tbs parsley, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp allspice
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp or to taste cumin
• ½ tsp taste cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4 tbs sherry peppers sauce or to taste
• ¼ cup Goslings Black Seal Rum
• Chopped hard cooked egg, chopped onion and slices of banana for garnish

Method:

• In a pot large enough to hold all the ingredients sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil and butter until golden.
• Add the beans, celery, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, and stir a few times to warm them all up.
• Pour on the water and broth and bring to a boil.
• Simmer three hours until tender.
• Add the allspice, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper and cook another five minutes.
• Now add the Black Seal Rum and sherry peppers sauce and cook another five minutes.
• Remove from the heat and purée somewhat less than half the beans.
• Return them to the pot adding more broth if it becomes too thick.
• Garnish with chopped hard cooked egg, chopped onion and a couple of banana slices.