Sopa de Garbanzos with chorizos or ham is one of the mainstays of Spanish cuisine. The recipe uses smoky, spicy Spanish Chorizo. Combined with the mild flavor of the chickpeas and spinach this is a gorgeous dish. For a vegetarian option, I leave out the chorizo and substitute the chicken stock for a vegetable one.
I have opted for the canned chickpeas. The dried variety requires overnight soaking and 1-2 hours cooking.
Yield: 4
Time: 45 minutes (using canned chickpeas)
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup (140 g) Spanish Chorizo or Pepperoni, sliced into 1/8-inch (0,3 cm) slices
- 1 medium-size onion, about 1/2 cup (70 g), thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 sticks of celery, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- handful fresh spinach leaves washed and drained
- 2 medium-sized tomatoes, about 1 cup, seeded and chopped coarsely
- 1 3/4 cups (740 g) canned chickpeas, drained
- 6 cups (1,5 L) chicken stock
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 Tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- extra virgin oil to drizzle
Preparation:
Drain the chickpea canning liquid and run briefly under cold water in a colander.
Heat olive oil in a deep saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chorizo slices and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the chorizo starts rendering some fat. Stir constantly, so chorizos don’t burn on the edges. Remove from saucepan and set aside on a paper towel. Add onion slices, garlic, and celery. Bring the heat down to a simmer and cover the saucepan. Let the veggies simmer for about 5-8 minutes, stirring now and then. Add chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, chorizo and chicken stock to the onion-celery mix. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat. Cook the soup for about 30 minutes or until chickpeas are soft. Add the spinach leaves and let them just wilt. Taste for salt and pepper.
Just before serving, give the chickpea soup a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Toasted bread is a great accompaniment to this soup.
