Bean and Bacon Soup

from For the Love of Cooking (click here to see the official recipe with pictures)

• 4 strips of lean bacon - I used turkey bacon
• 3 large carrot, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 15 1/2-ounce cans white beans, drained - I used two cans cannellini beans and one can great northern beans
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In a large Dutch oven, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Let cool, chop, and set aside.

Over medium heat, add the carrot, celery and onion to the pan drippings in the Dutch oven and sauté for 7 minutes; add the garlic and sauté for an additional 60 seconds, stirring constantly. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Add 2 cans of beans, bay leaf and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the carrots and celery are soft.

Uncover and remove the bay leaf. Using a potato masher or an immersion blender, partially mash the bean mixture until it thickens slightly. Stir in the last can of beans, parsley and bacon. Taste and re-season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, if needed.

My Review: This was delicious! Pureeing the beans made the soup seem thicker and I loved the crumbly bacon. I squeezed a lime wedge over it before serving -- it added a little zing.