1 lb Dried black beans
2 qt Cold water
2 c  Coarsely chopped onion
1/2 c  Coarsely chopped scallions,
-including green tops
3 md Cloves garlic, minced
1    Smoked ham hock
2    Bay leaves, crumbled
Salt to taste
1 ts Freshly ground black pepper
1/2    Scotch bonnet-type chile,
-seeded
1/2 c  Dark rum

Pick over the beans, rinse them, and put them in a large heavy pot with the
water. Cover the pot and bring the water quickly to a boil. Stir the beans,
remove them from the heat, and allow them to sit for 1 hour. When the beans
have softened, return the pot to the heat, adding more boiling water if
necessary. Then add the remaining ingredients, with the exception of the
rum. Continue to cook, covered, over low heat for several hours, until the
beans are very tender and the ham falls off its bone. Remove from the heat
and remove the ham hock bone and meat. Dice the meat finely and discard the
bone. Press the remaining ingredients through a food mill, taste for
seasoning, and add the diced ham. At this point, the soup can rest
overnight in the refrigerator so that the flavors mingle, or it can be
served at once. To serve, reheat the soup for 5 minutes while stirring in
the rum. Side dishes of lemon wedges, cooked white rice, minced onion, or
chopped hard-boiled eggs can be served as garnishes. Serves 6.Subj:
Frijoles SOPA DE FRIJOL NEGRO