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Sunday, December 12, 2010

Chickpea Soup w/ Almonds & Saffron

On a mission for a quick, easy soup, I scour the pantry, the fridge, and Bitty's Kitchen Express searching for a final destination.  I found it in the unlikely combination of almonds, chickpeas, and saffron.  Okay, maybe not so unlikely...just surprising in a quickie soup, I suppose.  To me.  And yeah, although it was surprising, it totally worked.  Whoda thunk it?  Slivers of almonds pleasing in a brothy soup base?  But it totally works.  I had some chickpeas in the fridge that I'd just cooked the day before with hopes of hummus...but obviously they didn't make it that far.  Next time.  The dregs of a bag of almonds and some sadly inferior Mexican Saffron.  I added a grating of Parm over the top, as I'm wont to do...and switched out the parsley for cilantro...which turned out to be a fantastic swap- the brightness of cilantro was just what each earthy spoonful begged for!
Chickpea Soup w/ Saffron & Almonds
ever-so-slightly-adapted from Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express

In a couple tablespoons of olive oil, cook a thinly sliced small onion (leek), some smashed garlic (3 cloves), about half a cup of slivered almonds, salt, pepper, and a pinch of saffron for about five minutes.  Add a can of chickpeas with their liquid (~1 c. cooked from dry, measuring w/ cooking liquid and all) and four cups of chicken broth or water; use a potato masher or wooden spoon to break down some of the chickpeas.  I mashed 'em up pretty good, then added another handful of whole beans for appearance and texture. Cook and stir until warmed through and serve with a sprinkling of chopped parsley (I used cilantro-which was perfect!  Plus, a good grating of Parmesan).
Oh, and thinking about my writers block, I think what so many of  you suggested and what I already sensed  inside is correct...it's the holidays.  While my goal is always to take it easy and not let anything stress me out...it never works.  I feel frazzled just try NOT to feel frazzled.  Ugh.  Oh well...we'll get through it and semi-peacefulness will reign soon enough.  I just want to make it through with love in my heart.  Deep breaths.

*This post is linked to:
SouperSundays cookbook sundays Hey What's For Dinner MyMeatlessMondays MakeItWithMondays


Would you like to comment?

  1. I see Bittman's cookbooks everywhere in blogworld and I still don't have one! I feel I'm seriously missing out. Thank you for submitting your gorgeous soup to Cookbook Sundays Heather. I never realized until fairly recently how much I love chickpeas and every soup is better with a little Parmesan grated on top. :o)

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  2. in cold weather there is nothing better than a good soup. and this one looks so good...

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  3. Heather - this looks yummy and fast, I've flagged it and I'm sure I'll give it a go our next rainy day.

    Maggie

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  4. Almonds? soup? now im intrigued! I better try it first before I say anything haha!
    The weather begs for soup and it doesn't help me staring at your pictures. Iwantsomenow! haha@

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  5. That looks so good, especially since our temps wont break freezing the next 3 days! I don't have leeks but perhaps a shallot instead.

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  6. Almonds? Really? I would NOT have seen that coming!

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  7. I have been using almond milk for soup bases, and a milk/cream replacement- so I can see this, and I bet it tastes fantastic!

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  8. I just made a chickpea soup last week and it was awesome. Yours looks fantastic! Thanks!

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  9. Que rico plato, se ve delicioso.

    Saludos

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  10. I would definitely swoon over this soup and I'm not even a soup person! Mmm just the thought of the chickpeas, almonds and saffron together! Heavenly.

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  11. This looks divine, each bite gets better & better I bet.

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  12. Just the perfect dish for these awful temperaturtes we've been getting!

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  13. gorgeous! i was eyeballing bittman's cookbook at the store the other day, i'm always so impressed with his recipes popping up in the blogosphere. this looks wonderful!

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  14. It's a wonderful thing, when you can peek into the pantry and refrigerator, pull some unlikely food items and like magic, it just works. Awesome!!!

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  15. This is one of the first recipes I made from Kitchen Express and I loved it--such a great, unusual combination of ingredients. I think I added chorizo to it if I remember correctly--also delicious. Your pictures make me want to go make it again right now. ;-) Thanks for sending it to Souper Sundays.

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  16. That looks like a really delicius soup,heather!

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  17. Because I have never eaten saffron, I have no imagination for how good this soup is. But I have made a pledge (so to speak) to Sue to use my saffron. I will start with risotto and then this soup. Thanks.

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  18. wow amazing soup deep breaths sweet Heather enjoy the holidays hugs Rebecca

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  19. These flavours seem so unusual when placed together, I am glad it worked out and it tempts me to try it myself. :)

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  20. What a combo of ingrediants. This soup looks so interesting. Awesome when a quickie dinner becomes something so interesting!

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  21. I am first surprised and then delighted by the almonds. I also love how quick it is and I just get ravenous when I read a soup recipe. I like the brightening you did with this! A definite will-do. And Heather, when I get writer's block (and yes the holidays fill your head), I edit what I've done. I've already created and sometimes it is grand to have some time away from a piece and visit it anew.

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  22. looks so yummy---please pass the bowl !

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  23. oh, what i wouldn't do for a steaming hot bowl right now...delicious, heather!

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  24. Wow! The soup looks delicious and healthy too. Lovely clicks.

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  25. Great combination of flavors on this bowl of soup.

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  26. OH MAN this looks amazing! It's so cold and windy today, all I want is some soup! And I think I have all the ingredients in the house =)

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  27. wow, what a healthy and delicious looking soup.

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  28. Oh, it sounds delightful! What a great flavor profile.

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  29. Oh yeah....Kitchen Express, definitely one of my favorites! I love the idea of the almonds in the soup. Definitely something that I want to try.

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  30. Your beautiful pictures make me hungry, right now!

    Hugs!
    Barbara

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  31. thank you Heather :)
    delicious soup almonds and chickpeas in the soup I haven't had before

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  32. Great! You gave me many good ideas about almonds, esp when I enjoy a comfort soup like this. The next time I make similar, I will add some almonds.

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  33. I always forget just how much I like nuts in a dish like this, where they take on a less-than-crunchy texture, but still add some texture and a lovely flavor. Sounds like a winning combo. So, tell me again, what's a good sub for people who don't have saffron?

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  34. Butter...if you don't have it, I'd probably just leave it as-is here...unless you have some marigold petals handy. Perhaps saute with a drizzle of annatto oil (http://www.girlichef.com/2010/09/kare-kare-traditional-filipino-dish-for.html)instead of olive oil...or the tiniest pinch of turmeric. TINIEST PINCH!

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  35. What a delicious soup, I like the addition of both saffron and almonds, very nice!

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  36. Perfectly simple and delicious. Love your changes too!

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  37. You will be in the spotlight with this recipe at My Meatless Mondays. What a fabulous soup. Thanks for linking it up.

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  38. Oh boy - that looks good. I have often made a Jamie Oliver leek & chickpea soup that I really enjoy, but with the addition of almonds, saffron and cilantro I just know that I am going to like this a whole lot more! I obviously need to get that Kitchen Express book - I remember a lot of people raving about it when we were cooking with Bittman at IHCC. Thanks so much for sharing this with "Making it with .... Mondays" - challenge saffron :-)
    Sue

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  39. Chickpeas and leeks? That sounds like an excellent idea! Gotta try this.

    Not to confuse things, but the leeks (Welsh) are the other half of the haggis (Scottish), and the saffron and chickpeas (Moroccan) are the other half of the Herring (Eastern European).

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