Puree of Chickpea
Difficulty Level Easy
If you are looking for a light and healthy soup to start your big Thanksgiving meal, this might be the one to try. I have to confess that I didn't have a lot of time this week and I used canned chickpeas rather than soaking them and cooking them in advance. The soup itself is very simple and unlike many rustic kind of chickpea soup recipes, it doesn't have tomatoes or pasta or dark green vegetables in it. I drizzled some of the wonderful hazelnut oil I got in Paris over it and was a delicious touch.
This soup is a great addition to the Thanksgiving dinner for any vegetarian or vegan guests you have. You can make the soup a day ahead to avoid all the last minute pile ups in the kitchen, then just reheat it gently, adding any oil you are going to drizzle on it just when you are ready to serve it.
INGREDIENTS
| 1/2 pound | chickpeas, washed and picked over (about 1 1/8 cups) |
| 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 | |
PREPARATION:
- Soak the chickpeas in 1 quart water for six hours or overnight. Drain.
- 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.
- 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.
- Serve, garnishing each bowl with a few drops of olive oil or lemon juice if desired and a sprinkle of chopped fresh mint.
From The New York Times, November 6, 2009 via the website Limes and Lycopene
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