Ingredients

1 pint black beans
2 qts cold water
1 1/2 tbsp butter
small onion, sliced
2 celery stalks, broken small
1/2 tbsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
few grains cayenne
1/4 tsp mustard
1 1/2 tbsp butter (additional)
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1 pt milk
1 lemon

Instructions

1 - Take 1 pt black beans which have been soaked overnight, drain, then pour over them 2 qts cold water.
2 - In 1 1/2 tbsp butter in a frying pan, saute' 1 small sliced onion about 5 minutes.
3 - Put this and 2 celery stalks, broken small into a kettle with the beans.
4 - Let it simmer until the beans are soft, 3 or 4 hours, adding hot water if the water on the beans begins to boil away.
5 - After rubbing through a sieve bring to the boiling point again.
6 - Season with 1/2 tbsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, a few grains of cayenne and 1/4 tsp mustard, mixed together.
7 - Mix and cook until smooth 1 1/2 tbsp each of the additional butter and flour, and dilute with a little of the soup
before stirring into the whole mixture.
8 - When ready to serve, cut into thin slices 2 hard-boiled eggs and 1 lemon.
9 - Dilute the whole with 1 pint of milk after seasoning to taste.