See Also: Butter Bean Soup with Smoked Streaky Bacon(recipes)
streaky bacon(dictionary)
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Butter Bean Soup with Smoked Streaky Bacon (recipes)






Serves 4



Preparation time

1-2 hours



Cooking time

30 mins to 1 hour

















Ingredients



300g/11oz dried butter beans20g/¾oz unsalted butter1 medium onion, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced about 3mm/1/8in thick4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced4 x 100g/4oz slices streaky bacon, rinded and cut into 3cm/1¼in pieces1 bouquet garni (2 dried bay leaves and 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, tied together)200ml/7fl oz dry white wine (optional)1.5l/2½ pint water4 large pinches of freshly ground white pepper½ tsp salt



Method



1. Soak the beans for 12 hours in plenty of cold water.2. In a large, heavy-based pan, gently melt the butter - it must not brown - and sweat the onion and garlic over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.3. Add all the remaining ingredients except the salt and stir together.4. Bring the soup to the boil, skim, then reduce the heat and simmer for 50 minutes, with the lid slightly askew. Add the salt, then continue to simmer for a further 10 minutes.5. Before serving, taste and correct the seasoning, if necessary. Remove and discard the bouquet garni. Pour the soup into a hot tureen and let your friends and family help themselves.