ChickPea, Farro & Cremini

[Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Soup of the Day Cookbook]

 Prep Time: 45 mins | Servings: 6

PERFECT FOR:  Casual Dinner Party 

SOUP STORY

This is a healthy and hearty rustic soup, perfect for serving to the family for supper on an autumn evening and lots left over for a quick weekday lunch or weeknight meal. Serve with a crusty baguette, tricolore salad or cheddar quesadillas (kids love!) and for the grown ups, pour a Pinot Noir or a French Chardonnay. The recipe, as all my soup recipes, is a flexible exercise. As a result, there are some modifications from the delectable Williams-Sonoma recipe.  

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bag of dried chick peas

• 2 cans of organic chick peas (Eden Rock recommended)

• 8 cups cold water

• 1/3 cup good olive oil

• 1 Spanish Onion, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 3-4 Tbs. tomato paste (from a glass jar, not a can recommended)

• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

• 4 cups chicken Broth

• 1/3 cup farro

• Rosemary Sprig

Mushrooms

• 1 lb. cremini mushrooms

• Splash of good olive oil

• Splash of white wine

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• Fresh Thyme and Fresh Parsley to taste

• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

• Cover your dry chickpeas overnight or at least for 6 hours, drain, rinse and place in saucepan

• Add the cold water and bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer until tender-about 3 hours

• Grab a large stockpot (the bigger the better!), warm a drizzle of good olive oil to coat the bottom.

• Add the onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes

• Stir in the chickpeas (from the dry bag) and 1/3 of their cooking liquid, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 3 minutes.

• Stir in the tomato paste Add the broth, return to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the flavors have blended, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

• Process the soup in the pot with an immersion blender or if you don’t have one, puree in batches in a Cuisinart, but keep a rustic texture so don’t over puree.

• Add canned chick peas (if desired for a more rustic soup) to your Cuisinart and chop on pulse until almost at a puree but not quite. Add to the pot.

• Add a sprig of rosemary to the pot

• Bring the soup to a simmer over medium heat.

• Add the farro and cook until tender (about 20 minutes)

• While the faro is cooking, slice the mushrooms-rustic dice

• Splash a sauté pan with olive oil, and then add the garlic and sauté.

• Add the mushrooms and sauté for around3 minutes.

• Increase the heat to high add the wine and thyme sprig and cook for 3 minutes.

• Reduce the heat to low, season with salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring often, until the mushroom juices have evaporated, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the thyme sprig.

• Stir the mushrooms into the soup.

• Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with a grinding of pepper.

• Serve with a crusty baguette and tricolore salad and enjoy!