Sweet & Savory Kitchens

Aunt Suzy says . . . 

It’s soup Sunday up here in Minnesota! Waking up to minus 18 degrees (FAHRENHEIT!!) demands something warming. I recently found the soup cookbook, Soup Sisters and Broth Brothers Cookbook at my local library and since I’m always looking for a new twist on soup, I checked it out. This soup caught my eye because of lack of tomatoes and that fresh fennel was part of the base. I love tomatoes in soups, but it’s nice to have some tasty versions without. This was easy to make, even though it requires a lot of chopping. I made a huge pot and plan to freeze some of it, thinking it will freeze well. Enjoy with some crusty bread, a baguette or crostini and a nice white wine.

Chorizo and Chickpea Soup with Fennel

Ingredients – makes 5-8 servings

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

4-6 Spanish chorizo sausages, split lengthwise and sliced (we like Amylu Chicken Chorizo)

1 large onion

1-2 carrots, small dice

2-3 stalks celery, small dice

2-3 small fennel bulbs, cored, small dice

1-2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

4-6 garlic cloves, minced

3/4-1 1/4 cup dry white wine

6-9 cups chicken stock, homemade or your favorite store-bought

Several sprigs thyme tied together with kitchen string

Salt and pepper to taste

3-4 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (2-3 small cans or cooked from dried)

Directions

Heat a stockpot or Dutch oven to medium high and coat with the olive oil. Add the sliced chorizo and saute till slightly browned. Note, this recipe uses Spanish style fully cooked chorizo, not Mexican chorizo which is raw. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion, carrots, celery, rosemary and fennel. Saute until the vegetables start to soften 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a couple of more minutes. Add the white wine and simmer for a few minutes to burn off the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and the thyme. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer 20-30 minutes. Add the cooked chickpeas and simmer 10-20 more minutes to blend the flavors. Remove the thyme bundle before serving.