• Add 16 ounces dried black beans to a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Sift through them with your fingers to remove any debris or stones. Add three cups of water to cover the beans. Soak the beans overnight, or use the quick soak method, see notes.
• The next day, drain the beans and set aside.
• In a heavy dutch oven, add two tablespoons of olive oil and sauté 1 cup celery, 1 sweet bell pepper, 1 medium onion and1 carrot for five minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
• To the vegetables, add the beans, 2 bay leaves, ½ cup green chiles and 1 leftover ham bone and 7 cups water.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally until beans are tender.
• Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add 1 jalapeno and 3 garlic cloves and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, until tender and fragrant.
• Add 1 tablespoon ground cumin to the garlic mixture for about a minute, until the cumin smells toasty. Remove from heat.
• Using tongs, remove the ham bone from the soup.  Remove any loose meat still clinging to the bone. Discard the bone. Add the reserved ham and the loose meat from the bone back into the soup.
• Add the garlic mixture, and 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes.
• Stir to combine, simmer, covered for 20 minutes on medium-low heat.

Optional Garnishes:

• Taste for seasonings and adjust to your tastes, with salt, pepper or more spice.  Serve with your choice of toppings such as lime wedges, cilantro, queso fresco, Oaxaca cheese, green onions, sour cream, or 1 avocado.

FOR INSTANT POT BLACK BEAN SOUP:

• Heat the Instant Pot on the sauté function, then drizzle in the olive oil. Add the onion, celery and carrot and saute for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables soften.
• Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes, stir well until very fragrant, about one minute. Add the green chiles, black beans, water, bay leaf and ham bone or hocks.
• Seal the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Let the pressure reduce naturally.
• Remove the ham bone/hock and transfer to a rimmed sheet pan to cool.
• Meanwhile, blend 2 cups of the black beans and liquid in a blender until smooth. Transfer it back to the pot. When the ham is cool enough to handle, remove any meat and shred it. Add it back to the soup.
• Serve with desired garnishes.