Tuscan White Bean Soup With Bacon Recipes

TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH BACON

Steps:

• Cook bacon: Place a large stock pot over medium heat and add bacon. Cook until bacon is crisp and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate, leaving bacon drippings in pan. Set aside.
• Remove bacon - leave fat: You want about 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in the pot, if you do not have enough fat, add extra virgin olive oil to pan until you have about 1 tablespoon of liquid (just eyeball this).
• Saute vegetables: Increase heat to medium high. Add shallots, carrot, and celery to pot. Cook, stirring frequently until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper; cook until aromatic, 30 seconds - 1 minute.
• Deglaze the pan: Add white wine to deglaze pan, scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until wine is reduced to 2 tablespoon, about 3-4 minutes.
• Add liquid, beans + herbs: Add the chicken stock, beans with their liquid, rosemary sprigs, bay leaf and parmesan rind (if using).
• Boil, then simmer: Increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes.
• Add bacon, cream, parsley + parmesan: Use tongs to remove the rosemary sprigs and bay leaf. (I leave in the parmesan rind, but you can remove and discard it.) Add in the bacon, 1/4 cup of cream, chopped parsley leaves and grated parmesan. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Taste the soup, add more cream for a richer taste and texture.
• Optional To Thicken Soup: (You can serve the soup as is for a brothy consistency, or you can thicken the soup with one of the two methods below.) For an ultra creamy, bisque-like texture, puree the entire soup. 1. Use an Immersion blender to blend some of the soup until desired consistency is reached. Or, use a potato masher to mash some of the beans. Blend about 1-2 cups of the soup for a slightly creamy yet rustic texture.2. Stand Mixer: Remove 1-2 cups of the soup to a stand mixer. Puree the soup and then add the mixture back to the pot. , add back in removed beans.
• To serve: Ladle soup into serving bowls. Garnish with more grated parmesan cheese and fresh herbs. Drizzle with a bit of good-quality extra virgin olive oil for a flavorful finish. Serve and enjoy!

TUSCAN BEAN AND BACON SOUP

Steps:

• Soak beans in cold water overnight.
• Next day, bring beans to boil and rapidly boil for 3 minutes and then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain.
• Heat olive oil in a large pan and saute onion, carrot and bacon until onion is soft and translucent.
• Add garlic, beans and stock. Bring to the boil. Cover and simmer until beans are soft- about 1 hour.
• Remove half the soup and blend, until smooth, using a food processor. Return to the pan.
• Peel the tomatoes by cutting a cross in the bottom and covering with boiling water for 30 seconds. (The skin should slip off easily.) Cut tomatoes into quarters and de-seed. Chop the flesh and add to the soup.
• Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes.
• To serve: sprinkle with the cheese.