Preparation

• Soak your beans overnight covered in water. Drain the next day and set aside.
• In a large stockpot, add the bacon to the pan and cook until bacon pieces are brown and crispy. Remove and let drain on a paper towel.
• If there's a lot of bacon grease in the pan, remove all but 3 tablespoons of it.
• Saute onion, garlic, and carrots in the bacon grease until vegetables start to get tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rosemary and cook for an additional 1 minute.
• Pour in the chicken stock and add the drained beans. Stir the tomato paste in until all has dispersed and incorporated into the soup.
• Bring mixture up to a boil then cover and let simmer gently for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Carefully use your immersion blender and gently pulse the bean mixture until a desired creamy texture is achieved. Serve warm with extra bacon pieces on top.