This recipe was a re-creation of a soup I had on Mackinac Island, Michigan. This was my favorite soup on the island and I have not had anything like it before. I made numerous times till I got it! It smells awesome as the pancetta and basil fry.
Cooked rice
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion cooked in oil
3 cans drained white beans or 1 bag of prepared dried beans.
3 cups water
2 one half inch slices of pancetta diced.
1/2 tsp garlic power or 1 glove fresh garlic
1 1/2 tsp Herbs De Provence
8 fresh basil leaves cut in half.
In large pot add onion, beans and water and cook on low to medium heat for 10 minutes. Mix once. You are now ready to emulisfy (pulverize) the beans. Remove soup from stove top. I use a Breville food processor for this step. You will emulisfy it until about half of the bean are gone. You do want to see some beans for texture and taste. Put back on stove on low heat.
Meanwhile, fry pancetta in small fry pan until slightly golden brown, kind of like cooking bacon. Add pancetta to bean mixture and then cook the basil right in the greese from the pancetta. Cook basil for about 10 seconds and remove with a fork. You don’t want all the greese from the pancetta just some. Add to soup. Cook soup for 20 minutes on low and stir every 5 to 10 minutes. Serve over rice and enjoy.