Since the temperature has been on the rise, I’ve been
focusing on using the oven and stovetop less often by preparing recipes which
keep the kitchen (and me) cool.
Because I was looking for a change from chilled madzoon(yogurt) soup, I decided to switch gears and make one with chickpeas and
tahini. This dish is basically a pourable version of hummus. It’s easy to prepare,
and with the vegetable topping, it’s like having soup and salad all in one
bowl! |
| Chilled Chickpea and Tahini Soup |
Chilled
Chickpea and Tahini Soup Yields about 4 to 4 ½ cups
2-15oz. cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon olive oil Dash of ground cumin Dash of cayenne pepper, optional ½ tsp. Kosher salt 1 small garlic clove 2 to 3 tablespoons tahini
Vegetable Topping Ingredients: ½ cup roasted red pepper, diced (chopped tomatoes may be
substituted)
½ European cucumber, chopped –or- 2 Persian cucumbers ¼ cup chopped sweet – or – red onion ¼ cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives 2 Tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Crumbled feta cheese- or – toasted pine nuts, optional
1. In a food
processor fitted with a metal “S” blade – or a blender, combine the chickpeas,
lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, cayenne pepper (if using), salt, garlic, and tahini.
Starting with 1 cup of water, gradually add to the food processor, blending
until smooth and pourable. (NOTE: I used about 1 ½ cups water in all.) Taste;
adjust seasoning, if necessary. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready
to serve.
2. While
the soup is chilling, prepare the vegetable topping: In a small bowl, combine
the roasted red peppers (or tomatoes), cucumber, onion, olives, parsley and salt and pepper to taste; cover and chill until ready to serve.
3. Just before
serving, stir chickpea mixture. If it has thickened, add a little more water. Pour
into individual serving bowls; top each with a spoonful of vegetable mixture
and some crumbled Feta cheese or toasted pine nuts, if desired. Drizzle with
additional olive oil.