VEGETARIAN BLACK BEAN AND PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• Use small amount of olive oil or other method to coat a 6-quart heavy kettle. Cook onion, shallot, garlic, chili powder, chiles, salt, and pepper over medium heat, stirring, until onion begins to caramelize. While that is cooking, rinse beans and place in large bowl with tomato and its liquid. Add cooked onion mixture to bowl. Use handheld blender to pureé mixture in bowl. Transfer pureé back into soup pot. Stir in broth, pumpkin, and Sherry vinegar until combined. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally. After simmering 15 minutes, add sherry. Simmer another 10 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Can adjust thickness with more broth, more pumpkin, or more pureed beans but will need to simmer longer if adding ingredients. Season soup with salt and pepper. Offer sour cream or non-dairy substitute, toasted pumpkin seeds, hot sauce, salt and pepper.