Ingredients:
3 quarts water
1 cup dried Great Northern beans, washed in cold running water
1/4 pound bacon or salt pork cut in half
3 medium garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. chile pequin (available in Latin markets)
3 cups half-and-half
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
Fresh chives, for garnish

Preparation:
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil over moderate-to-high heat. Add the beans, bacon, garlic, onion, bay leaf and chile pequin. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook until the beans are tender, about 3 1/2 hours, adding a little more water if necessary to keep the beans covered. Remove the bacon and bay leaf from the pan. Pour the contents of the pan into a processor and purée them. Return the purée to the pan over moderate heat, stir in the half-and-half, salt and pepper, and cook just until the soup is heated through, about 5 minutes. Sieve the soup and serve it immediately in heated bowls, garnished with fresh chives.
Serves 6.