Cream of Garbanzo Soup

When I lived in Bilbao I used to eat at Citronella, my favourite brunch restaurant at the time, at least once a week. They served these amazing 4-course brunches, and one of the dishes they served with some regularity was a delicious garbanzo soup. Unfortunately the restaurant didn’t make it through the last economic crisis. That’s a while ago - we’re talking 2008 - but I’ve been nostalgic ever since.

So I set about learning to make it at home. It took me some time to get the recipe right, but this one works. The photo may leave you in some doubt, and the paté is invisible at the bottom of the bowl so you’ll just have to trust that it’s there, but I promise you - it’s goooood.

Cream of Garbanzo Soup

Ingredients (serves 2):
400g can of garbanzo beans (240g drained)** (garbanzo beans = chick peas!)
1 medium-size onion, chopped
400 ml beef stock
1 clove garlic
juice of 1/2 lemon
1.5 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoon olive oil, plus a dash for the onion.
sprinkling of cumin
2 large tablespoons Greek yoghurt
40g duck paté (optional)
salt and pepper
*if vegetarian, leave out the duck paté and replace the beef stock with vegetable stock.

Instructions:
1. Sauté the onion in a dash of olive oil olive oil until glazed.

2. Put the onion, garbanzo beans, garlic, lemon juice, condensed milk and remaining olive oil in a blender and blend until fine.

3. Place in a pan over medium-low heat and add the beef stock. Stir well until thoroughly heated.

4. To serve, place half the duck paté in the bottom of each bowl (you can leave it in one piece) and cover with soup. Put one heaped teaspoon of Greek yoghurt in the middle of each bowl and swirl in a widening circular pattern. Grind a little black pepper over each bowl, then serve hot with warm bread and extra Greek yoghurt on the side.

**Of course, this also works with with dried garbanzo beans. In fact, that’s how I made this the first time around - and it’s equally good, but a lot more work. If you want to use dried garbanzo beans then measure out 1 large cup and soak for 12-24 hours in a large bowl with ample water (they expand considerably, and you want them to remain covered with water even as they expand). Cover the bowl with foil. When done soaking, cook the beans for 1 - 1.5 hour. Let them cool a little, then peel them, and then use them as you do the dried garbanzo beans above.

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