Garbanzo and Cabbage Soup

(adapted from Jennifer Raymond, The Peaceful Palate)

NOTE: To make this recipe Jumpstart-Compliant, leave out the tahini.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sherry, white wine or veg broth

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup diced tomato, fresh or canned

2 cups chopped cabbage

1 potato, peeled and diced

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

4 cups water or vegetable stock

1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, drained*

1 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt 

2 tbsp tahini, whisked in 1/2 cup water (optional)

Instructions:

Add the sherry or other liquid to a large pot along with the onion, and sauté the onion until soft, about 3 minutes. 

Add the garlic, chopped tomato, cabbage, potato, parsley, water or stock, garbanzo beans, paprika, and black pepper. Simmer until the potato and cabbage are tender, about 15 minutes. 

Ladle approximately 3 cups of the cooled soup into a blender. Blend until smooth, being sure to hold the lid on tightly and start on low speed. Return the blended soup to the pot and stir to mix, adding salt to taste.

(if you have an immersion blender/stick blender, you can get the same result by using the appliance to blend some but not all of the soup, leaving plenty of chunks of beans and vegetables.) 

Reheat the soup to a simmer in order to serve it hot. For a richer soup, fold in the tahini mixture towards the end and stir to mix. Try not to bring to a rolling boil as it may cause the tahini to curdle somewhat (this won’t affect nutrition or taste, however).

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This straightforward soup, like so many of the recipes in Jennifer Raymond’s The Peaceful Palate, is deceptively simple. It carries a boatload of nutrition (beans and cruciferous vegetables, tomatoes for lycopene, potatoes because, well, potatoes) along with flavor and comfort that satisfy any time of year.

Ms. Raymond’s book is out of print, but you can find used copies on the internet. You can also find many of her recipes on this site, as I channel her so often!