This is a great batch cooking recipe. It makes a big pot of soup, and freezes beautifully.
8 cups dried chickpeas
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
8 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 or 3 4-inch stems of fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
2 bunches flat-leaf kale, stemmed and chopped roughly
Soak the chickpeas 8 hours or overnight in a large stockpot. Drain.
Refill the pot with water so that the water level is 2 inches above the chickpeas. Set on burner set at medium high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Skim off any foam that rises to the top.
Heat olive oil in a separate saute pan over medium heat. Saute the onions until beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Scoop a ladle full of the chickpea water into the saute pan and use your spatula to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour liquid and onions into stockpot.
Add rosemary to stockpot. Cover and simmer for 2-3 hours, until chickpeas are tender.
Use a hand-held or stand blender to blend soup until it thickens (or alternatively, use a potato masher against the bottom of the pot) but still has some whole chickpeas remaining. Stir in salt and kale. Heat until kale wilts.
Divide into freezer containers and freeze.
(c) 2007 Jeanette Bradley
