Andalusian Chick Pea Soup Food

ANDALUSIAN CHICKPEA AND SPINACH SOUP

Steps:

• Drain the chickpeas and combine with 1 quart fresh water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 1 hour. Add salt to taste and continue to simmer until tender, 30 minutes to an hour.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy soup pot and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add 2 of the garlic cloves and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, paprika and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes cook down to a fragrant sauce, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add the chickpeas with their liquid, the potatoes, wine, more salt to taste, pepper, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Stir in the remaining garlic, the saffron and the spinach and simmer another 5 minutes. Add freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust seasoning, and serve.

ANDALUSIAN SPINACH

Steps:

• Wash spinach; remove large stems; do not dry; transfer to a Dutch oven; cover and cook over medium heat, stirring several times, until spinach has wilted, about 5 minutes, drain.
• Heat oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat; add garlic, cook until soft, stirring often, about 10 minutes.
• Remove garlic from oil and set aside.
• Add bread to oil; cook until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes; drain on paper towels.
• Combine garlic and half of the toast triangles in a food processor fitted with a metal blade; puree.
• Return bread mixture to pan, stir in paprika and cumin; add spinach and chickpeas; cook over medium heat, stirring often, until heated through, about 5 minutes; season with a few drops of vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
• Add additional water if mixture becomes too dry.
• Place mixture in a warmed serving dish and garnish with remaining toast triangles.

ANDALUSIAN CONDIMENT SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large stock pot (at least 16-quart capacity).
• Add oil and onions.
• Cook onions slowly, stirring occasionally until limp and slightly golden (about 1 hour).
• Sprinkle flour over onions and blend well.
• Gradually stir in tomato puree and stock (or water and soup base, see notes).
• Add remaining ingredients and stir until well blended.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Be sure to serve soup really hot as the condiments will cool it down.
• Fill bowls with desired condiments, then ladle soup on top.
• *In my opinion, lime, cilantro and sour cream are must-haves!
• I make the soup concentrated so it will take up less room in my freezer (essential since the last time I made it it would have been over 10 gallons of ready-to-eat!) To do this, follow the recipe through step 6, using only one quart of stock. I use the Minor's concentrate, and add the full amount necessary for the entire pot of soup.
• I freeze mine in 4- to 6-cup containers, because you will add the same amount of water, and with this soup, depending on what you are serving with it, some people may be eating less than a cup of it.
• When you are going to be serving the soup, put equal parts of concentrate and water in a pot and finish as directed in step 7.