Bean Soup With Bacon And Herbs

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1/4 lb thick-sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, finely diced
• 2 celery ribs, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
• 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
• 1 lb great northern bean, soaked overnight and drained
• 10 cups chicken broth
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper

Recipe

• 1 in a large soup pot, cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until browned and crisp, about 7 minutes. drain, reserving the fat and bacon separately.
• 2 heat the olive oil in the soup pot. add the onion, carrot and celery and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. stir in the garlic, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoons each of the chopped thyme and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. add the drained beans, broth and 3 teaspoons of reserved bacon fat and bring to a boil. simmer the soup over moderately low heat until the beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• 3 discard the bay leaf and stir the remaining thyme and rosemary. season the soup with salt and pepper and serve in shallow bowls. garnish with reserved bacon.