Pancetta and White Bean Soup

My favorite soup ingredient is probably dried beans.
They've been a staple of so many cultures for good reason.
As the peak growing season for fresh produce ends,
dried beans are still there, easy to store for many months.
They are packed with vitamins and nutrients and
full of earthy, satisfying flavor and texture.

Ingredients:
1 pound dried white beans
3/4 pound unsliced pancetta
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 celery stalks, cut into small dice
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into small dice
1 medium-sized leek, trimmed, split lengthwise,
thoroughly washed, and cut into small dice
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup dry white wine
3 ounces white wine vinegar
6 cups organic chicken broth
1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3/4 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound Swiss chard leaves,
cut crosswise into strips 1/2 inch wide
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
The night before you plan to make the soup,
sort through the beans, removing
any misshapen beans, stones, or debris.
Rinse the beans under cold running water.
Put them in a mixing bowl and add enough cold water
to cover them by about 3 inches.
Leave to soak overnight at room temperature.
About 2 hours before you plan to serve the soup,
cut 1/2 pound of the pancetta into 1/2-inch dice,
and set the dice aside in a
covered container in the refrigerator.
Drain the beans thoroughly.
Put them in a pot, add enough cold water
to cover them by at least 2 inches,
and add the remaining whole piece
of pancetta along with the thyme sprigs.
Bring to a boil over high heat,
then reduce the heat to low
and cook until the beans are barely tender,
1 to 1-1/2 hours. Set aside.
In a separate soup pot,
heat the olive oil over low heat.
Add the reserved diced pancetta and cook,
stirring occasionally, until it is
lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Carefully pour off about
half of the fat from the pot.
Add the celery, onion, leek,
and garlic to the pot with the pancetta
dice and saute over medium heat just until the
onion turns translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
Raise the heat to medium-high,
add the wine and vinegar,
and boil until the liquid has reduced by half,
about 10 minutes more.
Meanwhile, drain the cooked beans,
discarding the chunk of pancetta and the thyme sprigs.
Put half of the beans in a food processor
fitted with the stainless-steel
blade and pulse them until pureed.
Add the whole and pureed beans
to the vegetable mixture along with the broth,
parsley, and thyme leaves. Stir well.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer,
stirring occasionally, until the whole beans
are completely tender and the soup is thick,
about 15 minutes longer.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Just a few minutes before serving,
stir in the strips of Swiss chard.
Continue cooking just until they have wilted,
2 to 3 minutes.
Ladle the soup into individual heated bowls
and pass freshly grated Parmesan cheese
to add to each serving at table.