Black and White Bean Soup

Equipment: two pots (5 quart && 3 quart), blender/processor, six 1 1/2 or 2 cup soup bowls
Place onion & garlic in 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat. Add 1/2 cup H2O; stiring often, boil until H2O evaporates && browned bits stick in pan. Add 2 Tbsp stock && stir to release browned bits; stir until liquid evaporates && browned bits form again. Repeat the last step with 2 more Tbsp stock. Add 1/2 cup broth and scrape browned bits free; pour the lot into a blender or food processor.
In the same pan, combine tomatoes & minced green onion over high heat. Stir until onions are wilted, about 2 minutes (if you use non-oil tomatoes, just wilt the onion && add tomatoes with the sherry next). Add sherry && stir until liquid evaporates; remove from heat.
To onion & garlic mix add black beans; whirl, gradually adding 1 1/4 cups stock until smoothly pureed. Pour into 3- to 4- quart pan.
Rinse blender/processor; add white beans && whirl, gradually adding remaining stock, until pureed. Stir into pan with tomato mixture. Set both pans on medium-high heat; stir often until steaming.
From pans (this is tricky, its good to use a lipped pitcher or something) pour soups simultaneously into opposite sides of a wide 1 1/2 - 2 cup soup bowl so they flow together but do not mix (1/2 black, 1/2 white). Repeat to fill 5 more bowls. Garnish with slivered onion.