Chickpea soup with Israeli couscous

I think I've reference my recent obsession with dried chickpeas here before. Well, now I'm keen to try them out in just about any kind of recipe, so when I stumbled across this one, I knew I wanted to give it a try.

I managed to track down Israeli couscous at a local Middle Eastern market, where the package was actually labelled "Jerusalem" couscous. The grains, if you can call them that, are about the size of peas, so they cook up like little doughy balls in the soup. If I were to make the recipe again, I'd skip the method suggested, and just boil them up in the broth until tender, before adding to the soup.

I also found I needed to add more liquid to the soup than called for, and I found the overall flavour a little bland. I think I will bump up the garlic and spice quotient next time. And I didn't have any fresh oregano to add (or dried for that matter), but I don't think that was the missing link.

Flavour aside, this recipe makes a ton of soup, so I have lots of leftovers in my freezer. It's an incredibly hearty meal on its own, what with the chickpeas, veggies and pasta-y couscous floating around. That being said, a bowl is made infinitely better with a generous mound of parmesan, which will slowly melt into the welcoming goodness, and will add a nice salty kick at the same time.


Chickpea soup with Israeli couscous

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped zucchini
2 cloves minced garlic
2 cans chickpeas, well rinsed and drained, or about three cups of chickpeas, cooked from dry
1 14 oz. can Italian tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (depending on how spicy you like your soup)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
6 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cumin
sea salt to taste

Couscous:

3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups Israeli couscous
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1. In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add onions, carrots, and dry spices and saute until onions are a bit caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add zucchini, tomatoes (with juice), lemon juice, garlic and fresh herbs and continue to cook for about five minutes longer. Cut the tomatoes in half with a wooden spoon while the soup continues to cook.

2. Add vegetable broth and chickpeas, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. While the soup is cooking, make couscous. In a medium sauce pan with a lid, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat, add couscous and lightly brown (about 5 minutes). Add 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for approximately 20 minutes or until most of the stock has been absorbed. Fluff cous cous up with a fork and add chopped mint right before serving. Serve soup with a scoop of cous cous, garnish with additional herbs if desired.