February 2020 – Chickpea and Tomato Ten-Minute Soup

From page 37 of Kitchenella.

I like to make fresh soups at lunchtime, taking no more than about 15 minutes. But it is time I enjoy. It can be meditative and, being my own boss, I am always looking for something to do that is not work. Alan Bennet admits to cleaning shoes and cleaning out the dust filter in the tumble-drier when he is meant to be writing scripts. Cookery writers make soup, and particularly this one, which seems to hit all the right places as a middle-of-the-day meal. The secret is in adding sugar, so you do not have to wait so long for the tomatoes to sweeten.

Serves 4

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
300ml passata
1 x 400g can chickpeas
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sugar
300ml stock
salt and black pepper
juice of half a lemon
To serve: extra olive oil, wholemilk yoghurt, parsley or other fresh herbs

Heat the oil in a large pan and add the garlic, passata and chickpeas, spices and sugar. Cook over a medium heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary, then add pepper. Stir in the lemon juice.

Either eat this soup with the chickpeas left whole, or mash them a little with a potato-mashing tool. You can also transfer the soup to a liquidiser or food processor and process to something smoother. Serve with a little olive oil poured over, a spoonful of yoghurt and some fresh herbs.