Cover the beans with cold water and soak them overnight. Drain them. In a 4 quart pot add all the vegetables and spices and cook over low heat until they are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Then add the beans and meat, cover with water and cook over high heat for 1 hour. Turn the heat down and simmer for 40 more minutes. Stir in file powder and cook 2 more minutes to thicken. Recipe By :CHEF DU JOUR JIMMY BANNOS SHOW DJ 9155 Date: Sat, 19 Oct 1996 21:54:41 -0400