Our pantry is stock-piled with so many canned products,
you’d think we were hoarders! It’s a habit we’ve developed from living in an
area where seasons are labeled ‘dry’ and ‘hurricane’, lasting from June
1^st through November 30^th. We have to keep non-perishables (and a hand-can
opener) available just in case the electricity goes out for a long period of
time.
We try to keep an accurate inventory list, and use
products in the order in which they were purchased. The culinary motto for this is:
“First in; First out”.  

Realizing there was an overload of canned chickpeas, I
browsed through some of my cookbooks for a recipe requiring a lot of chickpeas.
Happily, I found a soup recipe in an old cookbook,
which I adapted to suit our palates.

Chickpea Soup with Red Pepper Puree

Chickpea Soup with Red Pepper Puree
Yield: 4 to 5 servings


Ingredients:
1 (7 oz.) jar roasted red peppers, drained
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 tsp. lemon juice
¼ to ½ tsp. Aleppo red pepper
******
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, chopped
½ tsp. ground ginger, or to taste
¼ tsp. cumin, or to taste
Dash of salt
2 (15-oz.) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 (14 ½ oz.) cans chicken or vegetable broth
2 Tbsp. tomato paste

 For the Puree:

Red Pepper Puree

1. Using a blender or food processor, combine the roasted
peppers, 2 to 3 Tbsp. water, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, lemon juice, and Aleppo red
pepper. Puree until smooth; pour into a serving bowl and set aside.

For the Soup:

2. In a large saucepan, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive
oil over medium heat. Sautė the onion and carrots with the ginger, cumin, and
dash of salt until onion and carrots begin to soften, about 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the chickpeas, the broth, and tomato paste.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until onions and carrots
are tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove about 1 cup
of chickpeas, onions and carrots and set aside.

5. To serve: Place soup into individual bowls, drizzle
with Red Pepper Puree.