This is adapted from the book "Moosewood Restaurant Cooks At Home".  It's
incredibly hearty, most excellent on a cold winter night.  Goes well over
white rice, too.  We leave out the cilantro because I'm one of those folks 
who is genetically unable to taste cilantro properly (bleagh -- tastes like
aluminum foil to me, and leaves a nasty aftertaste!). I left it in the
recipe for those who don't find the taste as vile as I do... :)

Black Bean Soup
---------------

10 sun-dried tomatoes (NOT packed in oil)
1 Cup boiling water
1 1/2 Cups finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 or 2 jalapeno chiles, minced, or 1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground cumin
1/3 Cup water
3 Cups undrained canned tomatoes (one 28-oz can)
4 cups undrained cooked black beans (two 16-oz cans)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
additional water/tomato juice

In a small bowl, cover the sun-dried tomatoes with the boiling water; set
aside.  In the soup pot, saute onion, garlic and pepper in a little water
until the onions are translucent, stirring frequently.  Add the cumin, 
1/3 cup water and the juice from the canned tomatoes.  Chop the tomatoes
coarsely and add them.  Cover, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, simmer covered
for 5 minutes.  Add the beans and their liquid; continue to simmer.

Drain and chop the sun-dried tomatoes.  Add them to the soup, cook an
additional 5 minutes.  Stir in the cilantro (if used) and remove the
soup from the heat.

Puree half the soup in a blender or food processor and return it to
the pot.  If the soup is too thick, add water or tomato juice and reheat
gently.