Name: White Bean Soup
Yield: Makes 8 First-Course servings
Ingredients: 2 cups dried Great Northern beans; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion, chopped; 1 cup chopped leek (white and pale green parts only); 1 large tomato, seeded, chopped; 1/2 cup chopped carrots; 1/2 cup chopped celery; 8 garlic cloves, chopped; 3 bacon slices, chopped; 10 1/2 cups (or more) chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme; 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary; 1/2 cup whipping cream; White truffle oil (optional)*

"On my last birthday, I enjoyed a special dinner at Brasserie Le Coze in Atlanta," says Diane Sullivan of Alpharetta, Georgia. "The entire meal was fabulous, but the white bean soup with truffle oil was absolutely divine."

White truffle oil, should you happen to have a bottle of it, is a delicious "garnish" for this rich and hearty soup.

Recipe notes

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