Place the bacon, beef cubes, onion, water, and beef
broth in a large, heavy soup pot. Bring to a boil,
turn the burner to low, and let the mixture simmer
for 1 hour.
Add the spinach, thyme, green pepper,
tomatoes, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Let
it simmer for another 30 minutes.
Sauté the okra in
the butter over the lowest heat for about 5 minutes,
then add to the soup, and simmer just 10 minutes
more.
Just before serving, stir in the cream and
sprinkle just a touch of paprika on each serving.