1 Place Beans And Ham Hock In A 4-Quart, Thick-Bottomed Pot. Add 5 Cups Water, Bay Leaves, Salt And Baking Soda. Bring To A Boil, Reduce Heat To A Low Simmer. Cover And Let Cook 1 Hour 15 Minutes To 1 Hour 30 Minutes, Until Beans Are Tender. Remove Bay Leaves. Remove Ham Hock From The Pot. Cut Ham Meat Away From The Bone And Cut Into Small, Bite-Sized Pieces, Set Aside. 2 Heat Olive Oil In A Large 8-Quart Thick-Bottomed Pot On Medium High Until The Oil Is Hot, But Not Smoking. Add The Onions, Celery, Sweet Potato And 1/2 Teaspoon Of Salt. Cook, Stirring Occasionally, Until Lightly Browned And Softened, About 10-15 Minutes. Reduce Heat To Medium, Add The Cumin, Chili Powder, And Garlic, Cook For An Additional 2 Minutes, Stirring Constantly. 3 Add The Beans, Their Cooking Liquid, Chicken Stock, Molasses, And Bell Pepper. Bring To A Boil Then Reduce Heat To A Simmer. Cook, Stirring Occasionally, For 20 To 30 Minutes. 4 Remove 4 Cups Of The Soup (About Half Of It) To A Blender. Pur