Lemon Chickpea Soup

Lemon Chickpea Soup… Perfect to warm your tummy!

This soup totally reminds me of Spring! It is cozy, healthy, and loaded with spring flavors like garlic, lemon, fresh dill and baby spinach. The orzo and chickpeas swirl to the surface with every spoonful. A sight that lifts the spirit and warms the belly.

This recipe is pretty straightforward and simple to make so enjoy!

1. Simply sauté the carrots, onion and minced garlic for 3-4 minutes to soften.
2. Add the broth, lemon zest, and crushed red pepper to the pot. Raise the heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium.
3. Stir in the orzo, salt, and black pepper to taste and cook until orzo al dente. 
4. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Then turn the heat off.
5. Whisk together the eggs, lemon juice and chopped fresh dill. 
6. Take two cups of the broth and whisk in with the eggs. Then slowly add mixture to the pot while whisking the soup. 
7. Turn the  heat back on to low heat and Stir in the cheese and baby spinach. 
8. Cook until spinach is wilted. 
9. Taste, salt and pepper as needed. 
10. Serve warm with a glass of Scout and Cellar DOVE HUNT DOG CHARDONNAY. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
• 3 medium carrots, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 10 cups vegetable broth
• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup orzo
• 4 eggs
• Zest of one lemon
• ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
• 2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach
• 1–3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

Add carrots and garlic and sauté for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the bay leaf and red pepper flakes and stir to combine.

Add broth and chickpeas, and stir to combine.  Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer.  Then reduce heat to medium (or medium-low), whatever works to maintain a steady low simmer.

Add orzo and stir to combine.  

Continue cooking until the orzo is al dente, stirring occasionally so that the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Meanwhile, as the orzo is cooking, whisk together the eggs, cheese and lemon juice in a separate mixing bowl or measuring cup until combined.  Ladle out 1 cup of the hot soup broth, and while whisking the egg mixture with one hand continuously, very very slowly drizzle the broth into the eggs until combined.  Repeat with 1 more cup of hot broth.

Once the orzo is ready to go, remove the stockpot from the heat.  Then while stirring the entire soup with one hand continuously, very very slowly drizzle the egg mixture into the soup until combined.  

The egg mixture should make the soup nice and creamy.  

(But if the eggs look like they are scrambling when you add them in — kind of like in egg drop soup — stop and let the soup cool down for a few minutes before adding the rest of the eggs.)

Return the soup to low heat.  

Stir in the spinach and dill and stir for 1-2 minutes until the spinach has wilted.  

Then taste and season the soup with a few pinches of salt and black pepper, as needed.

Serve warm, garnished with extra dill and lemon wedges.

Advertisement

Potato & Leek Soup with Crispy Fried Leeks

I love soups and it is just about soup season! There’s nothing better than grabbing a bowl of warm comforting soup on a fall or winter day! 

This soup is everything you love about a buttery creamy bowl of Potato Leek  soup. But better, because sauteed shallots and garlic are truly one of the most delicious flavor enhancers ever. Add a swirl of cream and crispy fried leeks and you’ll have the perfect bowl of soup. Great for both fall and winter days!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium leeks, trimmed, leaving white and pale green parts only, and chopped
• 4 small shallots or 2 medium size,, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup dry white wine, Scout & Cellar Fieldhouse White Blend
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ cup half and half
• 3 tablespoon unsalted butter

Crispy Fried Leeks Ingredients

• 1 cup leeks, washed and sliced into rings
• ½ cup vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash sliced leeks in a large bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain well in a colander.

Cook leeks, shallots, garlic, carrot, celery, salt, and pepper in 4 tablespoons butter in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. 

Peel potato and cut into 1/2-inch cubes, then add to onion mixture along with wine, broth, water, and bay leaf. 

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves. Working in batches, scoop the soup to a blender, don’t fill the blender more than 1/3 way full or it can overflow. 

For a smooth soup, puree all of the soup; for a chunkier soup, don’t puree all of the soup. 

Blend until very smooth, being careful to let smoke escape the blender or it will explode. You can do this by leaving the blender cap open and covering with a paper towel or loose dishtowel. You may also use an immersion blender but I don’t find the soup gets as smooth.

Pour pureed soup back into the pot and stir in 3 tablespoon of butter and stir until melted.

Slowly pour in the half and half, stir until well combined. 

Taste and season with additional salt and pepper. 

Crispy Fried Leeks Instructions

To prepare the leeks, cut the white and pale green part off of the stem. 

Thinly slice the leeks into rings. 

Dry thoroughly before frying.

Using a slotted spoon, lower the leeks into the oil. 

Fry them for about 1 to 2 minutes or so, just until they turn golden. 

Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.