Wow, is this soup delicious. It has wonderfully complex flavours and soothing texture. I’m not sure if it’s more stew than soup, but with a nice piece of rustic bread, and possibly a little harissa, it’s a treat.
The recipe come from a Culinary Communion cooking class focused on Moroccon cuisine. What a great class! The food was spectacular. And as is the way at Culinary Communion, at the end of class, we all sat down to savour our meal together. This time it was made especially festive by washing our hands with orange scented hot water prior to eating, and enjoying our meal (including the soup) without the use of cutlery.
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 4 T Olive Oil
- 3 Cloves garlic, minced
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 2 cans chickpeas (drained and rinsed) or 2 cups dried boiled in water until soft (1 hour)
- 1 large potato, chopped
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 T fresh cilantro
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 6 C vegetable stock (or water – I use the chickpea cooking water)
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 3 tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tsp cumin, toasted and ground
- 1 T coriander, toasted and ground
- 1 tsp paprika
Saute vegetables: Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the spices. Saute 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas and stock. Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce to a simmer.
Simmer: Add the potato, carrots, celery, tomatoes and cilantro. Cover and simmer 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Season, garnish with cilantro and serve.
