Saturday, October 19, 2019

Moroccan Tomato and Chickpea soup with Quinoa for #SoupSaturdaySwappers

Sue of Palatable Pastime is our hostess this month for Soup Saturday Swappers.

I have to confess something here, for some reason I wrote down Autumn Soups for this month and made a great one using squash, but that's not what the theme was.
So...
Back to Google I went, after looking up Moroccan Soups and Stews in my various cookbooks, and finding not one single recipe.

What's the use of having lots of varied and old cookbooks when you can't find a recipe?  Hmmmm?

But Google is my friend today.   I found this recipe on the BBC Good Food site and went, I can do that. Even though I don't have any Harissa Paste, and I don't plan on a trip to the big city until next week sometime.
Moroccan Tomato and Chickpea Soup

I did however,  have some Ras-al-Hanout seasoning in the pantry, giggle.   I'd actually made the seasoning mix myself, because I couldn't find any for sale.   I do now have a store I can go to for stuff like this, but again, it's up in the 'big city'. 

Enough hyperbole, and stuff.

And I did make a couple of changes to the original recipe.   I hunted high, low and sideways for the couscous in my pantry.  I've either used it up or hid it really well, so I grabbed some Quinoa, cooked that up and topped the soup with some.  I also grabbed some mint from my mint plant and topped the soup with the mint. 

This past month has been hard for me.  I had a much beloved dog pass away, and I basically sat with her as much as possible and didn't cook or interact much with people.  She was able to die at home, without any help from us to cross the rainbow bridge.   This is one of my favorite pictures of her.  She's pouncing on our other dog, Mauli who is also no longer with us.   I miss my dogs.  It's an empty house here.  


But back to the soup.  Before
Moroccan Tomato and Chickpea Soup

OMG is it good.  A slight hint of heat from the Ras-el-hanout seasoning, but that's a good thing.

I also think it would be amazing served with a crusty roll on the side, but I'll take it how it comes. Or goes...

And after



Moroccan Tomato and Chickpea Soup
Moroccan Tomato and Chickpea Soup

Yield: 4-6 servings
Author:
prep time: 10 Mcook time: 20 Mtotal time: 30 M
This soup is perfect for cool fall days. The mixture of spices in it are warming and soothing at the same time. Side benefit, it's also vegetarian and vegan, but most important is how it tastes. Which is amazing.

ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup uncooked Quinoa- prepared according to package directions
  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, peeled and cut into cubes or coins
  • 4 cups vegetable stock (can also use chicken stock)
  • 4 garlic cloves - crushed
  • 1-2 tsp. fresh ginger, finely grated (use a microplane)
  • 1-2 tablespoons Ras-el-Hanout spice mixture
  • 1 tablespoon Harissa Paste + 1 tsp. for serving (I didn't use any)
  • 15 oz. can of chopped Tomatoes
  • 15 oz. can of Chickpeas - drained
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • Chopped fresh mint ( or coriander)

instructions:

How to cook Moroccan Tomato and Chickpea Soup

  1. Prepare the quinoa according to directions.   
  2. Peel and chop the carrot and onion.  Heat the oil in heavy stockpot, and add the carrots and onions and cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until the carrots are just crisp tender. 
  3. Add the garlic and ginger, stir, let cook for about a minute or so and then add the Ras-el-hanout and stir to combine and let cook for another minute.  By adding the spices to the hot vegetables you release more of the flavours.  
  4. Pour in the vegetable stock, canned tomatoes and the drained chickpeas.  Cook an additional 20 minutes. 
  5. Spoon some soup into a bowl, top with a spoonful of the cooked Quinoa or Couscous and sprinkle with some chopped mint or coriander. 
  6. If you have Harissa Paste, you can serve it on the side for those who want a little more spice. 
Created using The Recipes Generator

Soup Swappers

Moroccan Soups and Stews

Sidsel Munkholm - Author
Sidsel Munkholm - Author

Sid loves to cook, feed people and have fun in the kitchen. She shares her successes and the involuntary offerings she sometimes gives the kitchen goddess as well. And she's still looking for the mythical fairy to help her clean the kitchen after a marathon cooking session. Currently working on a cookbook showcasing the recipes from her Danish heritage.

10 comments:

  1. You need a bowl of comforting soup while you grieve the loss of your fur babies. There are a lot of pups out there needing adopting, you would be honoring their memories.

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    Replies
    1. I'll miss these two forever I think, but we've decided that we're not getting any more dogs. Our last three dogs were rescues and were wonderful, each in their own way, but it's time to travel. And the soup, well, I think I'll be making this a lot for myself. I loved the flavors.

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  2. So sorry about your furkids. They say cooking is full of memory, and stirring a pot is a great time for remembrance and thinking. Probably why great minds love to cook!

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    Replies
    1. I'll miss these two forever, but am ready to go onto the next stage in my life. Cooking is full of memory. I used to make their dog food twice a week, and in fact have made my own dog food for many years, I liked knowing what it was they were eating. And both dogs were healthy, but age got them both in the end.

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  3. I'm so sorry about your pup. It's wonderful that she could stay with you the whole time. You made a wonderful last minute soup.

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    Replies
    1. She was a special dog, but all of my dogs, have been special. This soup though, will be repeated from time to time, it was so full of flavor.

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  4. Love the quinoa in this!!! And with fresh mint or cilantro on top...killer!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought that the quinoa in this was good, will have to remember to get some couscous again so I can try that as well with the soup. The mint added another layer of flavor to the soup. Will have to try it with some cilantro some time as well.

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