Pinto Bean Soup with Mint and Pine Nuts

2 c Pinto or Anasazi beans

1 tb Sunflower or light olive oil

1 sm Onion -- finely minced

1 t New Mexican red chile

10 c -- Water

Salt 1 c Half and half

2 tb Chopped cilantro

2 tb Chopped parsley

2 tb Chives, minced or

4 Scallions -- finely sliced

2 tb Pine nuts -- toasted

Soak beans overnight; drain. Transfer to a large soup pot and cover the beans with fresh water. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse them. Warm the oil in the soup pot, add the onion and chile and briefly cook together. Next add the beans and 10 cups of water; bring to a boil. Simmer until beans are tender, about 45 minutes for new beans, longer for older beans. Season to taste with salt, then continue cooking until they are completely soft. Puree half the beans and cooking liquid at a time in the blender until smooth. Return the puree to the pot. Add cream and reheat. Chop toasted pine nuts finely. Stir in the chopped herbs, reserving some of the chives. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with remaining chives and the pine nuts. From WWiVNet. Electronic format by Cathy Harned.