Recipe Post: Creamy Carrot & Chickpea Soup

Today at Vintage, Helen made a carrot & chickpea soup so delicious that it deserves its own post. The recipe was created by Mark Bittman: Creamy Carrot and Chickpea Soup

Makes: 4 servings

1⁄4 cup olive oil

2 onions, chopped

1 pound carrots, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

Salt and black pepper

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons pimenton (smoked paprika)

6 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water, plus more as needed

1 cup dried chickpeas, rinsed, picked over, and soaked if you have time (or 3 cans of chickpeas)

1 cup orange juice

1⁄4 cup chopped almonds, for garnish

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Put the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat; a minute later, add the onions, carrots, and garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed to keep the vegetables from burning, until the onions and carrots have colored, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the cumin and paprika and cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds or so.

2. Add the stock and chickpeas. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down so the mixture bubbles gently but steadily. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are very soft, at least 1 hour; add more liquid as necessary so the mixture remains soupy. (Or you can use 3 cans of chickpeas, which cuts down the cooking time)

3. When the chickpeas are very tender, add the orange juice, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Carefully puree the soup in batches in a blender or in the pot with an immersion blender. (You can make the soup ahead to this point. Refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for months; gently reheat it before proceeding.) Serve garnished with the almonds and parsley.

Enjoy!

-Caroline Parsley, UVa '14