Angelica's Chickpea-Garlic Soup

"This soup is light, lemony, and smooth. The key to a pleasantly mild garlic flavor is to carefully peel the cloves and leave them whole. You can vary the amount of lemon to suit your taste." Leslie McEachern

• 2 cups dried chickpeas, sorted, soaked overnight
• 6 cups water
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 branch fresh rosemary
• 3 - 4 fresh sage leaves
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups diced onions
• 1/4 cup garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained
• Sea salt & freshly ground pepper

METHOD

Rinse chickpeas and combine them in a 3 - quart pressure cooker with 6 cups water, celery, bay leaf, rosemary, and sage. Bring to full pressures, lower heat, and cook for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile,warm the olive oil in a heavy 3-quart saucepan over low heat.

Stir in onions and garlic; continue t cook over the lowest possible heat, stirring from time to time, until the chickpeas are done, up to 40 minutes.

When the chickpeas are done, remove and discard the celery and herbs, then add the chickpeas, along with 3 cups of the cooking water, to the onions and garlic.

Puree the soup with lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

Serves: 4 - 6

Reprinted with permission from ©2003 Leslie McEachern The Angelica Home Kitchen, published by TenSpeed Press

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