Spicy Pinto Bean Soup with Bacon and Jalapeños

Until we happened upon them at the farmers' market this weekend, I had honestly never considered cooking with fresh pinto beans. I will certainly seek them out from now on when they are in season! I came up with the following recipe tonight to utilize as many of the fresh ingredients we'd purchased at the market on Saturday as possible. I was so pleased with the end result! The drizzle of balsamic vinegar at the end was just what the dish needed to add a tangy finish to the lovely spicy flavor. If fresh pinto beans are unavailable, I'm sure this recipe would work fabulously with black-eyed peas. Enjoy!

Spicy Pinto Bean Soup with Bacon and Jalapeños

3 slices thick pepper bacon, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 lb. fresh pinto beans or black-eyed peas

1/3 cup dry red wine

3 cups chicken stock

2 large tomatoes, chopped

2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped (or less, depending on your heat preference)

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Balsamic vinegar

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, saute bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pot to drain on paper towels, pouring off all but 1 Tbsp. of drippings. Reduce heat to medium, add onion, and saute until translucent and golden, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and pinto beans and saute until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes more.

Add wine to pot, using a wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits from bottom of pan. Stir in chicken stock and next 6 ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat slightly so soup comes to a steady, but not rolling, boil. Cook until beans are soft and liquid is thickened, about 1 hour. (If you prefer your beans on the softer side, I recommend an additional half hour or so of cooking time.) Stir in reserved bacon. Drizzle each bowl of soup with a touch of balsamic vinegar just before serving.