The Best Soups in the World by Clifford A. Wright

Author:Clifford A. Wright
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Published: 2011-08-26T04:00:00+00:00

chickpea purée with shrimp

THIS SICILIAN SOUP called zuppa di ceci e gamberi is made with dried chickpeas that are cooked a long time with flavoring vegetables: tomatoes, onion, carrot, and celery. This preparation is puréed and then the flavors are adjusted with olive oil, garlic, and rosemary. It’s quite easy to make and can be prepared long ahead of time and then finished at the last minute by sautéeing the rock shrimp briefly before adding them to the soup. Most people find the result unique and delicious. If you decide you don’t want to use dried chickpeas, remember that the canned ones still need to be flavored, so put them in a pot as in Step 1 and cook twenty-five minutes. The dried chickpeas, though, will provide a deeper, richer taste. [ Makes 8 first-course servings ]

1 pound (about 21⁄2 cups) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water to cover, drained

1 large carrot, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 large onion, halved

3 ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound), cut in half, seeds squeezed out, and grated against the largest holes of a standing grater down to the peel

3 quarts water

1 tablespoon salt or more to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and more for drizzling

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1⁄2 pound shrimp, peeled

1. Place the chickpeas in a stockpot with the carrot, celery, onion, and tomatoes, cover with the water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes, then reduce to low and simmer until tender, 2 to 21⁄2 hours.

2. Transfer the mixture to a blender, in batches if necessary, and purée. Return to a clean pot and stir in enough additional water to make the chickpeas much creamier and looser than a hummus. Return to medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Season with the salt and pepper.

3. Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat 5 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat, then add the garlic and rosemary and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer this mixture to the soup. The soup can be made up to this point and reserved to finish later, bringing it to a near boil before you serve.

4. In a skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat, then cook the shrimp until they turn white or orange-red (depending on the kind of shrimp) and are firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle the soup into individual bowls, transfer the shrimp to the soup bowls, and serve with a drizzle of olive oil.

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