As you might remember, I try to plan my weekly menu so I don’t have to worry about what’s for dinner at 4:40 every day. Some weeks the plan materializes easily, based on my cravings, and some weeks it is more challenging. This past week I need a little inspiration so I got out a cookbook or two and started to browse around the internet.
Somehow, I found myself in the Recipes for Health section of the New York Times. They have a list of healthy ingredients that you can click and find a list of recipes that feature that ingredient. I am having a small crush on chickpeas lately so there I clicked, and what I found was Puree of Chickpea Soup. This sounded like a perfect mid-week, winter dinner, something I could start ahead and have ready when Adelaide returned from modern dance class tired and hungry. I paired it with a loaf of crusty no-knead bread (thank you Jim Lahey!!) and some kale with garlic and roasted peppers.
Of course, with all new culinary adventures, we hold off on our praise until it passes the dinner/diner test. This one, happily a keeper! Smooth and warm with hints of cumin and coriander. The drizzle of oil and spritz of lemon finish it off beautifully!
My only wish is that I had made a double batch!
Puree of Chickpea Soup
1/2 pound chickpeas (about 1 1/8 cups), washed and picked over
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium size red onion, chopped
2 to 3 large garlic cloves, green shoots removed, minced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, ground
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus additional for drizzling
Chopped fresh mint for garnish
1. Soak the chickpeas in 1 quart water for six hours or overnight. Drain.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic, spices and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, for about a minute, until the mixture is fragrant. Add the chickpeas and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer one hour. Add salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon) and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes to an hour. The beans should be very tender.
3. Puree the soup in a blender (in small batches, covering the top with a dish towel to avoid hot splashes) or with an immersion blender until smooth. Put through a strainer for a very smooth texture, pushing it through with the bottom of a ladle or a spatula. Return to the pot, and heat through, stirring the bottom and sides of the pot so that the puree doesn’t stick. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings.
4. Serve, garnishing each bowl with a few drops of olive oil or lemon juice if desired and a sprinkle of chopped fresh mint.
Yield: Serves four.
Advance preparation: The soup will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. Stir well when you reheat.
