Tuscan Bean and Bacon Soup

A lovely rustic, flavourful soup. A meal in a bowl. Requires overnight soaking of the beans and a little effort, but for great reward. (To reduce cooking time to 30 mins a 425g can of haricot beans and a 225g can of red kidney beans can replace the soaked dried beans.)

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 225  g  dried haricot beans
• 100  g dried red kidney beans
• 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  small onion, chopped
• 1  small carrot, chopped
• 50  g  rindless unsmoked bacon, finely chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1150  ml  beef stock
• 2  large tomatoes
• 100  g cheese, grated

Directions

1. Soak beans in cold water overnight.
2. Next day, bring beans to boil and rapidly boil for 3 minutes and then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain.
3. Heat olive oil in a large pan and saute onion, carrot and bacon until onion is soft and translucent.
4. Add garlic, beans and stock. Bring to the boil. Cover and simmer until beans are soft- about 1 hour.
5. Remove half the soup and blend, until smooth, using a food processor. Return to the pan.
6. 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.
7. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes.
8. To serve: sprinkle with the cheese.