Black Bean Soup with Roasted Red Pepper Cream

This is an old-school recipe I learned to make in the early ’90s, while I was working in a gourmet deli. It was, hands down, our best seller, and it’s still a favorite with my family. Don’t be tempted to skip the dry sherry and sherry vinegar here; they add a bright, acidic tang, which amplifies all the flavors in this soup. The red pepper cream swirl on top boosts the color of the soup and spikes it with a beautifully smoky flavor.