White beans, bacon, shallots, and garlic add tremendous flavor to Portugese-style chicken soup. This makes a hearty meal in a bowl. Plan ahead to soak the beans overnight or save yourself some time and used drained canned beans. If you use canned beans, reduce the simmering time to 15 minutes and add the beans along with the chicken and bacon at the end.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 pound dried white beans, such as white kidney (cannellini) or great Northern, rinsed and picked over
- 1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1/2-inch wide pieces
- 2 cups chopped yellow onions
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 2 Tablespoons minced shallots
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 quarts chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 pound diced cooked chicken
- 1 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese
Preparation:
Put the beans into a large pot or bowl. Add water to cover by 2 inches and soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. Then drain. (For a quick soak, bring the beans and water to a boil over high heat and cook for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to stand for 1 hour. Drain.)
Fry the bacon in a heavy medium stockpot over medium-high heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to lift onto paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pot.
Add the onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots soften, about 1 minute.
Add the beans to the pot with the stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, about 1-1/2 hours.
Stir in the chicken and the reserved bacon and heat through. Remove and discard bay leaves.
Ladle into warm bowl and sprinkle with the grated cheese.
Yield: 8 to 12 servings
Recipe Source: Prime Time Emeril by Emeril Lagasse (William Morrow)
Reprinted with permission.
Fry the bacon in a heavy medium stockpot over medium-high heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to lift onto paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pot.
Add the onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots soften, about 1 minute.
Add the beans to the pot with the stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, about 1-1/2 hours.
Stir in the chicken and the reserved bacon and heat through. Remove and discard bay leaves.
Ladle into warm bowl and sprinkle with the grated cheese.
Yield: 8 to 12 servings
Recipe Source: Prime Time Emeril by Emeril Lagasse (William Morrow)
Reprinted with permission.
