Chickpea Soup with Shrimps
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 30-40 min. (using canned chickpeas)
Minestra di Ceci con Gamberi, a recipe from Sardinia, puts together what appears to be at first glance an odd combination: chickpeas and shrimps. You will applaud the outcome.
I have opted for the canned chickpeas. The dried variety requires overnight soaking and 1-2 hours cooking. Purists will not agree with me, but then again how much time do you have to prepare a tasty soup. Believe me, I have tried both methods and I see no difference.
Ingredients:
- 300 gr canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 100 gr (4 oz or 1/2 cup) bacon, cut into thin strips
- 1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 teasp thyme, finely chopped
- 3 celery sticks, chopped into 1 cm (3/8 inch) pieces
- 2 medium sized carrots, cut into 2,5 cm (1 inch) long sticks
- 1 liter (4 cups) chicken stock
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 8 tbsp (1/2 cup)of parsley leaves
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 16 - 20 medium shrimps, shelled and deveined
Preparation:
In a saucepan heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add the bacon and sauté until it becomes soft. Lower the heat to medium-high and add the chopped onions and garlic. Sauté until onions are glazed, about 3 - 4 minutes.
Add the chopped celery sticks and the carrots. Continue to sauté for another 5 minutes. Mix in the 1/2 teasp thyme.
Mix the tomato paste with a bit of chicken stock. Add it to the onion-tomato mix. Stir it well. Add the remaining chicken stock and stir it well. Add the rinsed chick peas and cook them until they are "al dente". Taste for salt and pepper.
In the meantime, heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and sauté the shrimps until they have lost their raw color. Salt and pepper the shrimps lightly and keep them warm.
Ladle chickpea soup into four soup plates and garnish each of them with the shrimps. Sprinkle the parsley leaves over it. Accompany each serve with toasted Italian bread.
