Ham and Bean Soup with Bacon

Begin by submerging the beans in a large container, then cover them with several inches of cool water. Allow this mixture to sit overnight for 8 hours, or until the next morning.

Next, drain and rinse the beans before incorporating them into your recipe. Combine the soaked beans with 4 cups of water, along with some chopped celery, a sliced onion, a few bay leaves, a sprinkle of cumin, a pinch of garlic powder, and some chopped parsley into your slow cooker.

To add a rich flavor to the soup, melt butter and olive oil together in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir sliced leeks in the butter mixture until they're tender and start to brown, taking about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the leeks to your slow cooker.

In the same skillet, cook and stir diced ham until it starts to brown on the edges. Add this to your soup for added flavor. Place some crispy bacon bits into the hot skillet and pan-fry until they're done, about 10 minutes. Chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces and stir them back into your soup.

Pour some chicken stock into the hot skillet, stirring to dissolve any browned bits from the pan. Add this to your soup for extra flavor. Season with a pinch of sea salt and pepper.

Finally, set your slow cooker to Low and let the soup simmer for 6-8 hours, or until the beans are very tender. Use a potato masher to roughly mash about half of the beans, thickening the soup in the process.