Winter is upon us with a vengeance, and what better night to enjoy soup than a frigid Michigan winter evening. In that spirit, epic soup consumption has become a Friday ritual for us. My lovely and talented wife comes home from work early and plays with the kids while I get to cook. With the magic of Pandora radio and Hoegaarden (the greatest beer in the universe) I look forward to my Friday soup adventures all week.
This week I made one of our favorites, my take on Moroccan Chickpea.
Start by melting a tablespoon of butter in a large pot. Actually let me start over. Set your iPod on Pandora and select whatever artist suits you that particular day. Then, open up one of these:
Then melt one tablespoon of butter in a large pot. Add roughly one cup of mirepoix, which is fancy French talk for celery, carrots, and onion. But believe me, it is much more fun to say mirepoix. Add a pinch of kosher salt and allow the aforementioned mirepoix to saute in the pot with the butter for about five minutes. Enjoy the smell and sip/guzzle your beer, depending on how you feel that day.
After five minutes are up, add 32 oz. of low-sodium chicken broth (personal preference, I’d rather add salt if it needs it) and 8 oz. vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
Once you have achieved a rapid boil, add one cup of elbow pasta. Allow pasta to boil for 5-6 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add the following:
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
One 16 oz. can of chickpeas, drained
One cup tomato puree
To this add a pinch of parsley, no problem using the dehydrated version. Use your best judgement, if you are into precise measurements, soup isn’t your thing. Try baking. Please. I hate baking and am happy to let my wife be the baker.
Back to the soup. Allow this wondrous concoction to simmer for about 10-15 minutes while stirring and smelling frequently. Then, add the crucial ingredient:
Fresh chopped cilantro
Add fresh chopped cilantro and let simmer for five more minutes. Save a little for garnish.
The final result:
Serve with pita bread for dipping.
If you are in the mood for a delicious, healthy, and hearty winter soup, this should hit the spot.
And if you don’t like, just drink a couple more of these: