Loubia

Photo: flickr user rduta

Ingredients

2 cups dried navy beans

8 cups water

2 bay leaves

3 onions

4 whl cloves

5 garlic cloves minced

1 bone from a leg of lamb

pound (or 1 of lamb bones)

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 tomatoes peeled, seeded,

and chopped

(or two 14 1/4-oz cans diced tomatoes)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

20 cilantro sprigs

30 parsley sprigs

3 teaspoons salt - (to 4 tspns)

Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Chopped cilantro for garnish

Chopped onion for garnish

Chopped green olives for garnish

Bread for serving

Preparation

Soak navy beans in water overnight; drain. Place drained navy beans, water, bay leaves, 1 onion studded with all 4 cloves, garlic and lamb bones in soup pot. Cover and cook over medium heat until beans are fairly soft, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Discard onion.

Dice remaining onions. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onions and fry, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add to cooked beans, along with 1/2 tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, paprika and cayenne.

In blender or food processor, puree remaining 1/2 tomatoes with cilantro and parsley sprigs. Add to beans and cook over low heat, covered, until beans are tender and broth acquires full-bodied flavor, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into individual bowls and garnish with cilantro, chopped onion and olives. Serve with warm bread.

This recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.