A traditional dish during the winter solstice is a Yule goat.
It’s not the easiest meat to get your hands on, and it doesn’t sound all that appetizing anyhow. However, you need something to celebrate the shortest day of the year, right. If only because, well, because.
And, this Reaper bean and bacon soup is exactly the way to make supper special on a cold night – especially one that’s so close to the feasting that’s going to happen in a few days. Actually, we’re not certain you’ll be able to wait until the winter solstice to make this amazing soup. We suggest making it tonight.
The longer you cook it, the better the flavor – which means you could let it simmer for a few hours (covered) until you’ve finished wrapping some presents. Scratch that – eat the soup first; the reaper puree will give you all the strength you need to get through those holiday tasks.
Now, what are you waiting for? (We don’t know either!)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Olive oil
10 ounces bacon, cut into ¾” cubes
2 medium Onions, finely chopped
1 large Shallot, finely chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
½ teaspoon Mad Dog 357 Carolina Reaper Pepper Puree
2 quarts Chicken stock
3 cans (14 oz.) White beans, drained, rinsed
3 large Thyme sprigs
¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or stock pan over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until crisp, stirring as needed. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving behind as much grease as possible.
Add the onions and shallot to the pot and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent, then add the garlic and cook for 3 seconds before returning the bacon to the pan.
Stir in the Mad Dog 357 Carolina Reaper Pepper Puree along with the remaining ingredients. Stir and allow the mixture to boil before covering, reducing the heat to low, and simmering for 30 minutes. After half an hour, uncover the pot and cook until the beans are tender – and for longer if you want the beans to dissolve and the flavors to blend even further.
