Ingredients: • 225g (8ozs) rindless streaky bacon, cut into ¼ inch (5mm) lardons • 2 tablespoons (2 American tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) olive oil • 225g (8ozs/2 cups) onions, chopped • 300g (10½ozs/2 cups) carrot, cut into ¼ inch (5mm) dice • 215g (7½ozs/2 cups) celery, chopped into ¼ inch (5mm) dice • 125g (4½ozs/1 cup) parsnips, chopped into ¼ inch (5mm) dice • 200g (7ozs/1 cup) white part of 2 leeks, sliced into ¼ inch (5mm) slices approx • 1 Kabanossi sausage,* cut into one-eight inch (3mm) thin slices • 400g (1 x 14ozs) tin of tomatoes • Salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar 1.7L (3 pints/7½ cups) chicken stock • 1.7L (3 pints/7½ cups) chicken stock • 225g (8ozs) haricot beans, cooked Garnish • 2 tablespoons (2 American tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) parsley, freshly chopped

Directions: We make huge pots of this in the Winter, I usually keep some in the freezer. *Kabanossi is a thin sausage now widely available in most shops and supermarkets, it gives a gutsy slightly smoky flavour to the soup which although satisfying is by no means essential. Blanch, the chunky bacon lardons, refresh and dry well. Prepare the vegetables. Put the olive oil in a saucepan, add bacon and saute over a medium heat until it becomes crisp and golden, add the chopped onion, carrots and celery. Cover and sweat for five minutes, next add the parsnip and finely sliced leeks. Cover and sweat for a further 5 minutes. Slice the Kabanossi sausage thinly, and add. Chop the tomatoes and add to the rest of the vegetables and the beans. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar, add the chicken stock. Allow to cook until all the vegetables are tender, 20 minutes approx. Taste and correct the seasoning. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with lots of crusty brown bread.