Chickpea and vegetable soup

A simple roast chicken for the debut night of the new POLDARK »

Chickpea and vegetable soup

March 1, 2015 by Robin Ellis

Fresh and a bit wild looking this soup–adapted from a recipe in The New York Times–for the first day of March.

You build most winter vegetable soups from the inside out—i.e. making a “soffrito” of finely chopped vegetables such as onion, celery and carrot, cooked slowly in olive oil, before adding stock—the taste “engine room” for a big winter-warming blanket.

But it’s March 1st today, so I’m lightening up a little–starting with plain water, not stock, adding the ingredients in stages, building the taste and depth gradually.

The lemon zest topping—sprinkled just before serving— is a touch of Spring.

First stage:

Bring the water to the boil and add the first eight ingredients.

2 pints water
3 tsp salt–more to taste
4 tbs olive oil
1/2 an onion–(for the taste)
2 bay leaves
sprig of rosemary
1 lb tinned (canned) chickpeas
a small piece of parmesan rind (optional)
3 garlic cloves–pulped

Bring back to a simmer and cook, covered, on a low heat for 30 minutes.

Second stage:

3 carrots–peeled and sliced
3 sticks celery–chopped
1lb/450gm–tomatoes–chopped
1/2 small cabbage–sliced and roughly chopped

Add the sliced vegetables and bring back to a simmer.

Cook, covered, for a further 30 minutes.

Third stage:

During this second half hour of simmering, prepare the parmesan mix for sprinkling.

3 tbs grated parmesan
zest of a lemon
1/2 tsp milled black pepper

Mix the three topping ingredients and sprinkle over the soup before serving.

Posted in Food, other sides to this life, Recipes | Tagged printemps, spring, vegetable soup | 26 Comments

26 Responses

on March 1, 2015 at 5:41 pm | Reply Jane Nash

Looks yummy.
Definitely a lion today here in Wales, Happy St David’s Day! Jane x
- on March 1, 2015 at 6:00 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  And to you too, Jane!
on March 1, 2015 at 6:33 pm | Reply Dianne P

This looks great!! Right up our alley!
Eating on the run, today, though…We’re on our way to see “Kingsmen: Her Majesty’s Secret Service” w/Colin Firth. Looks like a bit of fun!
Had a little “British Invasion” ourselves in Boston the other night…. Peter Asher, Chad & Jeremy, Billy J. Kramer, Denny Laine, Mike Pender (Searchers), and Terry Sylvester (Hollies) stormed into town for an AWESOME show! Mike Pender jumped around, bragging about being 73–and his waistline was about the size of mine when I was a girl! Reminds me of someone I know… 🙂
Leave me a bowl of soup, please… 🙂
- on March 2, 2015 at 10:15 am | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  Good heavens–they are all at it–and why not!
on March 1, 2015 at 8:15 pm | Reply Bonnie O'Leary

what a terrific recipe and I have all the ingredients! As the ice storm rages outside here in Northern Virginia, we will definitely have this for dinner. Thanks, Robin!
- on March 1, 2015 at 9:07 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  Hope it works for you…
on March 1, 2015 at 9:10 pm | Reply Heidi

This looks lovely, so will try to make this before settling down to watch my original Poldark DVDs again over the coming week.
With best wishes to you and Meredith x
on March 2, 2015 at 2:51 pm | Reply Barbara Bloemink

Robin – THIS SOUNDS DELICIOUS and something perfect as the snow comes down and coats the city streets! Sending you are Meredie much love.
Barbara

PS Poldark starting soon in US – will look for your cameo!
- on March 2, 2015 at 7:39 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  Hi Barbara–love to you too! Take care in the snow. NYC as a village–quiet!
on March 2, 2015 at 3:52 pm | Reply Keri Green

I have been in a soup mood. This recipe is making my mouth water. Can’t wait to try it!
on March 3, 2015 at 2:12 am | Reply Penny

Thanks for the pointers, I have been making a soup like this too but without the cabbage or the lemon zest. The rosemary will be a nice change from thyme. Chickpeas are great! I made hummus too. I started with the dry chickpeas They are inexpensive and supposed to be a great protein.
on March 3, 2015 at 7:06 pm | Reply paola pascolat

Ciao Robin, just had two dishes of your suggested soup prepared in the afternoon. Delicious! Never had a soup with parmesan and lemon zest inside! An oddity to me! Buono, buono…
- on March 3, 2015 at 10:12 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  So happy it worked, Paola!
on March 4, 2015 at 6:52 am | Reply Heidi

Dear Robin
Hope you don’t mind me saying it was lovely to see you on BBC breakfast time just now. I have been a huge fan of yours since watching the original Poldark series as a teenager (when I was able to sneak upstairs and watch on my mum’s portable TV without her knowing). Thought that would make you laugh! I have enjoyed following your blog for a while now but only this week plucked up the courage to write. I have bought your book for my aunt as she has diabetes and we found it both helpful and interesting too. Like countless others I am so looking forward to seeing you in ‘the new series’ , but the first will always be the best for me. Best wishes, Heidi
- on March 4, 2015 at 9:57 am | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  Thanks, Heidi. I hope your aunt finds the book helpful–wish her well from me.
  I missed it this morning–but Aidan, Eleanor and I are on The One Show this evening at 7pm.
  - on March 4, 2015 at 3:38 pm Heidi
    
    Hi Robin. Really good of you to reply! I will certainly pass on your good wishes to my Aunt and will be watching this evening. I do hope it all goes well for you. Busy day?
on March 4, 2015 at 10:42 pm | Reply kim

great recipe – just saw your FB post with the new Aidan Turner -you really should have tried not to look so devastatingly handsome – he just sort of vanished.
- on March 5, 2015 at 5:29 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  He is a lovely man and dynamite on screen, Kim!
on March 15, 2015 at 6:56 pm | Reply Nadine

Thanks for the wonderful chickpea and vegetable soup recipe! Cold and cloudy, the snow is melting and running off towards the Hudson River and I knew that today is the day to try your soup recipe. It is delicious! I’m out of touch with everything and now I’m nervous because I haven’t heard anything lately about when the new POLDARK will air here, although I am sure it will!
- on March 16, 2015 at 4:29 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  In June, Nadine.
on March 16, 2015 at 7:05 pm | Reply Heidi

So looking forward to seeing you in next weeks episode Robin. Looks good! Really enjoying the new series and as you say, it’s different from the original (a favourite of so many). This version just has lots more money thrown at it. As a violinist I am loving the music. Hope you are enjoying all the attention. Best wishes, Heidi
- on March 17, 2015 at 7:26 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  So glad you are enjoying the new one–and I am enjoying every moment of the attention!!
on March 17, 2015 at 8:41 pm | Reply Nadine

Oh, I am jealous! I can’t wait for June to arrive! But now that I think of it, I believe that the original POLDARK series was aired in the Northeastern US around June because I remember the daylight hours were long . . . everything has a way of working out!
on March 19, 2015 at 6:40 am | Reply Heidi

Hi Robin. Great to see you on the ‘One Show’ and ‘Loose Women’ which I recorded as I had to go to work! Please let us know of any more appearances if you can. Looked like you were having fun, and pleased to hear you’re enjoying yourself.
It will be strange to see you playing a different part on Sunday, but I have noticed the occasional reference to the original series. A lovely touch for us loyal fans!
If you are reading this Nadine, sorry you have to wait 😳
on March 22, 2015 at 10:29 pm | Reply Nadine

Hi, Heidi — I am reading and very much appreciate your thought! Knowing that our kindred spirits on your side of the pond have already seen our favorite actor on POLDARK, I guess already . . . makes me feel like I may as well be on the other side of the moon! I know you enjoyed it and we, on this side, will just have to be patient and wait for June! Hope everybody had fun and raised a glass to honor this extraordinary event!
- on March 23, 2015 at 5:59 pm | Reply Heidi
  
  Hi Nadine. Don’t worry, it is well worth the wait. Robin was in episode 3, shown last night, and did a brilliant job. Without spoiling anything for you, it was interesting this version missed out the wonderful scene where Ross tells Demelza she must leave. Such a difficult scene for anyone to re do, so a good decision not to try to recapture it. As Robin himself said this new version should not be compared to the original, but I still think he is the only Ross and Angharad the only Demelza. That’s why we still love it, 40 years on.
  When you do finally get to see it, have a chocolate each time Ross rides over the cliff top. Good fun, but not helping my diet.