Chickpea, Escarole, Soup

Chickpea And Escarole Soup

18 Feb

Return to This Week’s Menu

Chickpea And Escarole Soup

Serves 4  | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes

Simple soups that satisfy. You don’t need the salsa verde, but it really elevates the soup.

Ingredients

  •  Extra virgin olive oil, about 1/4 cup
  • 1-2 carrot(s), diced
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seed
  • Pinch of red chili flakes
  • 6 cups chicken/vegetable stock or filtered water
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice (I had black on hand to use in my fridge)
  • 1 (14-ounce cans) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 small head of escarole, cleaned and leaves roughly torn or chopped
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • To serve: salsa verde

For the salsa verde

  • 1 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves
  • 4 sprigs lightly packed fresh tarragon leaves
  • 2 anchovy fillets
  • 2 clove garlic (peeled and minced)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped capers (rinsed)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
  • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (or to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Chef Tips

Collard greens, kale, Swiss chard are all great substitutes for escarole.

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onions, celery, garlic, fennel seed and chili flakes. Season with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until soft and fragrant. About 8-10 minutes.

Step 2

Add the stock and the chickpeas. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add in cooked rice and the escarole and cook until the escarole is wilted. Taste for seasoning and add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Step 3 (for the salsa verde)

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal ‘S’ blade, combine parsley, mint, tarragon, anchovies, garlic, capers, about ½ teaspoon salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Pulse briefly to combine. With the motor running, drizzle in about 1/4 cup olive oil. Process until you achieve the desired consistency. You may use more or less oil to your own taste. Scrape the sauce into a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Stir in lemon juice just before serving if using.