Chickpea and Roasted Garlic Soup

This is a recipe from the "DEAR GOD WHY WON'T MY SKIN CLEAR UP" panic of...oh, the last 15  years.

"Chickpeas are indeed very good for you, not least because two to three tablespoons equate to one portion of the daily recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables.

Chickpeas also contain phytoestrogens which are weak plant versions of real oestrogen. There's evidence that these may modulate the body's own production of the hormone in a way that could lower the risk of breast cancer, protect against osteoporosis and minimise hot flushes in post-menopausal women." - Daily Mail

 

Garlic, of course, needs no introduction.

This recipe for chickpea and roasted garlic soup survived the first round of testing (I have one binder of recipes to test, I make notes and it either stays there or goes to the "keeper" binder). This past weekend I gave it another go. Bear with me, my Canon's down and I'm using my phone camera.

The double can of chickpeas amounts to a solid three cups.

Added the two cups of cooked chickpeas to a cut-up onion, two or three stalks of celery (didn't have any carrots) and two bulbs of garlic. It calls for one head of roasted garlic. My notes say "more garlic!" and I am lazy, so two raw bulbs it is. Instead of two tablespoons of olive oil I used a glob, probably 1/2 - 1 T, of bacon grease.

Sauteed that for a bit. I didn't chop anything up too fine, because it all gets blended later.

The recipe then calls for 2 quarts of chicken stock. Stock. Salty water, right? I had one of these,

but all it said was "add 8 oz water for a tasty mug of soup." Not exactly two quarts. I have a small stock stash, however, because the good stuff is expensive, so when I find a deal I stock up.

HA! Stock up!!

Big Lots strikes again. Now, this is one quart. The whole box! The Depression-Era granny in me couldn't handle it, so my plan was to use that box, then fill up the box with water and use that + the bouillon packet.

Decided against that. It all fit in the pot fine, 

Simmered a little too long, see how all the green went out of the celery?

Fit just perfect into the Vitamix, 

Jealous?

so I just went with one quart. And it was deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelishus. For reals, I took a spoonful after the blending and actually said out loud: "Wow. I understand the cult of stock." 

The flavor was so...present. So there. I completely understand, now, why Top Chef contestants freak out about their stock. The stock made an abjectly noticeable difference. 

So, I might not be so cheap about it, from now on (feel free to leave comments about doing it yourself, but also feel free to come clean the fridge a couple of weeks after Thanksgiving, when my drawer of turkey bits "for stock" has outlived it's usefulness). I garnished with parsley et voila:

Parsley is super good for you. The recipe claims it serves 6-8, I state it serves 2-3 me. Incredibly simple, yet elegant and versatile as either a starter or a meal (chicken and dumplings could easily be added).