Start by dicing up the bacon. The easiest way to do this is to pop the slices in the freezer for 20-30 minutes, until it firms up, then take it out and snip it with some sharp kitchen shears. Hands down, this is the easiest way to cut up raw bacon.
In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook the chopped bacon until it is browned and crispy. Then remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a towel lined plate, but leave about 1 tbsp. of the drippings in the pot. Add the celery, onion and carrot to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften up, about 5 or so minutes. Then add the garlic and cook another minute or so, until fragrant.
Add the drained beans, broth, cream and seasonings to the pot and give it all a good stir. Let it come up to a low boil. Then reduce the heat down a bit and let everything simmer for about 20 or so minutes. At this point, taste it and add any additional seasonings that you think it needs.
Remove the pot from the heat and use an immersion blender to give the soup a couple of quick blitzes, until it's your desired consistency. Or you could just blend half the soup in a blender, then stir it back in. Then immediately stir in the parmesan cheese, the cooked bacon and the kale. Once the greens wilt into the soup, you're ready to serve.
