Milanese Vegetable Soup

4 cups of chicken stock
1/2 eggplant
1 stick celery
2 strips of bacon
1 chard leaf
1/2 zucchini
1 carrot
1 onion
10 basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste
Bring stock to a boil, cut vegetables (not basil) and the bacon into
small cubes. Add vegetables to the stock and simmer gently for 15
minutes. Add bacon cubes to the soup for the last 8 minutes of cooking
time. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Cut basil
leaves into thin strips and add these to soup just before serving.

VARIATION: Add any other vegetales you have to this soup.