1 1/4 pounds thick-sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
two tablespoons extra-virgin essential olive oil
1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely diced
2 celery ribs, finely diced
4 garlic clove cloves, minced
1 fresh bay leaf
2 teaspoons chopped thyme
2 teaspoons chopped rosemary oil
1 pound Great Northern beans, drenched overnight and drained
10 cups chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Steps to make this recipe
Inside a large soup pot, prepare the bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until browned and crisp, about 7 minutes. Drain, reserving body fat and bacon individually.
Heat the essential olive oil within the soup pot. Add some onion, carrot and celery and prepare over moderate heat, stirring from time to time, before the vegetables are softened, 8 minutes. Stir within the garlic clove, bay leaf and 1 teaspoon each one of the chopped thyme and rosemary oil and prepare until aromatic, a couple of minutes. Add some drained beans, stock and three tablespoons the reserved bacon fat and produce to some boil. Simmer the soup over moderately low heat before the beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hrs.
Discard the bay leaf and stir within the remaining thyme and rosemary oil. Season the soup with pepper and salt and transfer to shallow bowls. Garnish the soup using the bacon and serve.
Make Ahead
The soup and bacon could be refrigerated individually for approximately three days. Recrisp the bacon before serving.
