Chickpea Soup with Rosemary Croutons

Another great recipe from Bill Telepan!

Ingredients

For the soup:

1/4 minced small yellow onion

1 clove garlic, minced

220g chickpeas, soaked overnight

8 cups vegetable stock

3/4 cup small diced celery (chick pea size dice)

3/4 cup small diced leek, washed thoroughly etc.

3/4 cup small diced carrot

400g tomatoes (or one large can), diced

Roughly chopped 1 bunch swiss chard

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

For the rosemary croutons

3 to 4 thin-sliced sourdough bread or ciabatta

1 teaspoon chopped rosemary

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil


What to do:

Heat oil over low heat, add onion and garlic, sweat until tender about 7 minutes. Add tomato cook for 5 minutes.
Add the chickpeas and stock, cook until tender, about 30 minutes.

In another pot heat extra-virgin olive oil. Add celery and carrot, a few pinches of salt and cook over medium heat covered for about 5 minutes until still crunchy and half cooked.
Add leeks until tender, about 4 more minutes.

To prepare the croutons, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Mix the rosemary with the olive oil. Place bread on a sheet pan and drizzle with rosemary oil. Season with salt & place in oven until completely crispy, about 10-15 minutes.
Set aside.

When chickpeas are tender purée half chickpeas with stock in blender. Combine puree, vegetables and remaining chickpeas. Add chard & bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Season.

If soup is too thick thin with a little stock. Serve garnished with rosemary croutons and drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Bill Telepan is the Executive Chef of Wellness in the Schools (WITS), a national non-profit that partners with public schools to inspire healthy eating and physical activity as a way of life. The founder and executive director Nancy Easton, is really a "woman to watch" and with Bill, is working to help schools across the country become healthier places for students to learn and grow.

Read our interview with Nancy here.

Banner Image: Shutterstock

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