Cooking with Wine

Prepare the Proteins and Vegetables

In a large sauté pan, cook the bacon until crispy, remove to a plate with paper towels to drain excess fat, then roughly chop the bacon. In the same pan, add some of the oil to the bacon fat as needed, then add the chicken over medium high heat. Cook the chicken in batches to brown the meat. Remove to a bowl as the chicken is browned.

Once the chicken is done, add any remaining oil (and more if needed) to the pan and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 6-8 minutes, stirring often. Add the tomato paste and garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Add the entire contents of the sauté pan to the bowl with the chicken.

Meanwhile, drain and rinse all the canned beans well, but keep the cannellini beans separate from the rest. Remove 8 ounces (about a cup) of the cannellini beans and put them into a blender with the chopped bacon. Add 2/3 cup of the chicken stock to this mixture and blend thoroughly.

To an 8-quart stock pot, large soup pot, or large Dutch oven, add everything except for the cream and bring to a boil uncovered over medium high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and gently cook for 30 minutes. Stir in the cream and simmer for another 15 minutes. Check for seasoning and add salt if needed. Garnish with parsley and serve with toasted bread or garlic bread.