Before you plan to make the soup: place the beans in a large bowl. Pick them over to remove any debris. Cover with cool water by at least 1 inch. Let soak overnight at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

When you are ready to cook the soup: drain the beans into a colander and rinse them well. Set aside.

In a large pot or Dutch oven over low heat, cook the bacon over medium-low, stirring it occasionally until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 8 minutes (be patient; low and slow is the name of the game here!). With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a plate and set it aside, leaving the drippings in the pot. If using olive oil instead, simply warm the oil in the pot.

Increase the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook until the carrots just begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the beans, bay leaf, and broth.

Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Once it is boiling, reduce heat to medium-low.

Stir in the tomatoes, paprika, cumin, thyme, bacon, vinegar and black pepper. Simmer the soup, for 75 min or until beans are tender. If the soup becomes thicker than you would like, add water to reach your desired consistency. Remove the bay leaf.

Taste the soup and add additional salt and pepper as desired. The amount of salt you need will vary based upon your broth and/or hambone; I added an additional ½ teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Serve hot, sprinkled with Parmesan and parsley.