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White Bean, Bacon, and Potato Soup

Source of Recipe


Jan Roberts-Dominguez






List of Ingredients



• 1-1/2 cups dried cannellinni beans, sorted and rinsed
  
• 1/4 pound bacon, diced
  
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
  
• 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
  
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
  
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  
• 1 cup dry sherry
  
• 7 cups chicken broth
  
• 2 cups cubed Yukon Gold potatoes (cut in 1/2-inch cubes)
  
• 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
  
• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
  
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
  
• Salt to taste
  
• Parmesan cheese, for garnish
  






Instructions



1. Soak the beans for at least 24 hours in a large bowl of water; drain.
   
   
2. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, sauté the bacon until browned. Reduce the heat to medium-low, remove the bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside, then pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic to the bacon drippings and sauté until the onion is softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Pour in the sherry and deglaze the bottom of the pot to dissolve the cooked-on food particles, and cooking until the sherry has reduced by half.
   
   
3. Add the chicken broth, and the soaked and drained beans, and cook for 15 minutes. Add the potato cubes, rosemary, thyme and pepper, and continue cooking until the potatoes and beans are tender, about another 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the bacon, and adjust the seasonings by adding salt to taste and additional pepper, if needed. Serve with Parmesan cheese.
   
   Makes 8 to 10 servings.
   
   






Final Comments


Soup may be prepared up to 2 days ahead, refrigerated, and reheated before serving, or frozen for 3 months.