Smokey Pinto Bean Soup w/ Bacon & Chipotle

This recipe has evolved into one of my all-time favorites. It is everything a soup should be. It has flavor, depth, is hearty, and perfect for a cold day. Serve it with Cuban Bread - recipe to follow in separate post.

Ingredients:
1 lb. dry pinto beans
Enough water to cover beans (roughly 10-12 cups)
2 tsp. salt
1 large can of chicken stock (32 oz.)
1 large onion
1 medium shallot (gives it a bit of garlic flavor without overpowering the dish. still good without it)
1/2 smoked dried chipotle pepper (this is actually nothing more than a smoked Jalepeno)
1 lb rind-on bacon (rind-off is okay too because it is the rendered fat we want)
Cilantro or green onion for garnish (optional)

Preparation:
Rinse/sort beans. Soak overnight or use the quick cook method (combine salt w/ beans and bring to a boil for 2 minutes then soak, covered, 1 hour)
After 1 hour, uncover beans and return to a low heat.
Next, render the fat from the bacon in a large skillet. I use bacon ends/pieces for the extra fat. (more fat is better!)
Or - you could probably add some bacon grease to the soup if you are out of bacon.
Add it to the soup and don't worry if it looks like a lot - it is worth it!
Chop six slices of the cooked bacon and add it to the soup.
Add Chicken stock to the soup
Add the dried Chipotle pepper and stir.
Chop the onion and shallot and saute in the skillet using leftover bacon grease. Saute until translucent and beginning to carmelize.
Add onion and shallot to soup.
Stir and bring to a boil.
Cook for 1 hour 15 minutes at a fast simmer or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally.

Note: As the soup cooks, begin to mash some of the beans on the side of the pot to help thicken it. Cooking it at a fast simmer or even a low boil will further help reduce the stock. You want the consistency to be like the red beans served over rice in Cajun cooking. Soup will continue to thicken overnight. Excellent over rice.