Chickpea and Leek Soup with Basil and Goat Cheese Bread Sticks

Spring has arrived cool and wet here in Seattle. Naturally, with the changing of the season, my palette changes as well. Craving something light and refreshing, I knew I wasn't ready to give up the warmth of a piping hot soup, to a cool salad (not yet, at least) so soup is exactly what I did. A clean, hearty, yet light-tasting Chickpea and Leek soup. Could act as a great starter for a dinner, but I personally think it's great as a meal itself; served alongside a thick slice of toasted sourdough bread, or in this case, Basil and Goat Cheese Bread Sticks. Regardless, it's a no muss, no fuss, easy-going and delicious soup. Top it off with freshly grated parm and you'll find yourself spooning it out of the pot while you're attempting to do your post-supper dishes (as I did).

Soup is one of those things that I've found hard to go wrong with. It is also great for those who are looking for a better way to stretch their dollar in the food department. I usually just make a big batch ahead of time, and freeze the rest in single-serving sized tupperware containers, or small plastic baggies. Whenever I want some, I just grab it from the freezer and put it on the stove to cook up. Ingredients in soup are usually so simple - stock that you can either make or buy; veg, beans, rice, noodles or meat depending on what you are hankering for. I know I could make a big, beautiful pot of it for under $5. How is that for a deal!

To be honest, this was my first time cooking with leeks, so I looked up a great, little how-to video on cleaning and prepping them. Click here, if you too are a first-time-leek-user, as it was very helpful to me!

Chickpea and Leek Soup

Ingredients

- 1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans
- 1 medium potato
- 3 leeks, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- few sprigs of basil
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
- salt (to taste)
- freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- 850 ml chicken or vegetable stock (you can use more or less depending on the consistency you want)
- 2 handfuls Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
- extra virgin olive oil (as needed)

Tools

- Blender or Cuisinart


Boil water for potato and cook for about 30 minutes, or until tender with a fork.
Remove the outer skin of the leeks, cut off dark green top, root and toss. Slice lengthwise from the root up, wash carefully and slice finely.
Warm a skillet, and add the tablespoon of oil. Add the leeks and garlic to the pan, and sweat gently with a good pinch of salt until tender and sweet.
Add the chickpeas and cut-up potato and cook for 1 minute.
Add about two-thirds of the stock and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add basil and purée half the soup in a food processor or blender and leave the other half chunky. This gives a lovely smooth and comforting feel but also keeps a bit of texture.
At this point, I found I had too much soup for my Cuisinart to hold, so feel free to transfer it all to a large pot over low heat and mix together. You can go back and forth between pot and Cuisinart/blender to achieve your desired texture.
Add enough of the remaining stock to get the consistency you like.
Check for seasoning, and add Parmesan to taste. Top with finely chopped basil.

Basil and Goat Cheese Bread Sticks

Ingredients

- White Whole Wheat Pizza Dough - will need to be made ahead of time (use as much or as little as you like and refrigerate/freeze the rest)
- few sprigs of basil, finely chopped
- sprinkling of goat cheese crumbles
- any other herbs if wanted
- cornmeal for dusting (optional)

Tools

- rolling pin (or wine bottle!)


Preheat oven to 425*F.
Thinly chop up your basil.
Roll out dough flat.
Sprinkle cheese and basil evenly. Fold in half. Roll out flat. Sprinkle, fold and roll, once more.
Now, with a sharp knife, cut dough into long pieces.
With hands, shape/roll into bread sticks and pat with cornmeal.
Place on cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately.