Union Square Cafe Black Bean Soup with Lemon and Sherry

1 pound black beans
1 cup peeled, sliced carrots
l cup sliced onions
1 cup chopped celery
3 garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
4 ounces bacon cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
slices of lemon--1 per serving
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
dry sherry
Soak beans overnight--at least 6 hours.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Rinse beans
and place in pot with enough water
to cover. Bring to a boil and then drain.

Place beans in Dutch oven with carrots,
onion, celery, garlic, thyme and bacon.
Cover with 2 quarts water and add salt
and pepper. Bring to a boil and cover.
Place in oven and cook for 4 hours.
Puree the beans in blender with liquid.
Adjust seasoning to taste.

To serve, dip one side of lemon slices in
minced parsley and float parsley-side up
in each bowl. Add 1/4 ounce sherry before
serving.