Pinto Bean Soup With Mint & Pine Nuts

2 c Pinto or Anasazi beans

- soaked overnight 1 tb Sunflower or light olive oil

1 sm Onion; finely minced

1 ts 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 in a dry pan SOAK THE BEANS overnight; drain. Transfer to a large soup pot, 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, 10 cups of water and 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 the 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 the remaining chives and the pine nuts. Deborah Madison, "Prodigy Guest Chefs Cookbook"