Bean and Tomato Soup

1 cup of dried small pinto beans
3 cups of water
1 teaspoon of dried Mexican oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 (14-ounce) can of diced tomatoes, with the juice
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup of loosely packed coarsely chopped cilantro
2 green onions, finely chopped
Mexican crema or sour cream
Lime wedges
Crumbled crisped tortillas

Put the beans in a strainer and rinse well.

Put the beans, the water, the oregano, and the cumin into a 2-quart saucepan, and bring it to the boil, uncovered.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and simmer the beans until tender and the broth thickens, about 2 hours.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet, and cook the onion and the garlic, stirring frequently, until the vegetables just begin to brown, no more than 4 or 5 minutes.

Scrape the skillet contents into a food processor. Add the cooked beans and their broth, the tomatoes and their juice, the salt, and the pepper. Blend until smooth.

Return the pureed soup to the pan that cooked the beans. Add the cilantro and the green onions.

Bring the soup to the boil, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir the soup often, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking or scorching.

Check and adjust the seasoning.

Serve the soup hot with a dab of crema or sour cream on top.

Pass the lime wedges and the crumbled tortillas.