Galician Garbanzo Soup

Ingredients

• 3 cans garbanzo beans
• 4½ cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 heaping cups chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• 1 small waxy potato
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 medium stalk celery
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons mustard
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ cup green peas
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• to taste basil

Steps

1. Rinse and thoroughly drain the garbanzo beans.
2. Place about ⅔ of them in a blender or food processor with 2 cups of broth and/or water.
3. Purée until mostly smooth.
4. Set aside.
5. Place a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
6. Wait for about a minute.
7. Add the olive oil.
8. Swirl to coat the pan.
9. Add the onion.
10. Sauté over medium heat for about 5–8 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
11. Add half the garlic plus the potato, carrot, and celery and about ⅛ teaspoon salt.
12. Sauté over medium-low heat for 5 to 8 minutes.
13. Add the garbanzo purée, plus remaining broth and/or water and garbanzo beans, and the bay leaf, mustard, cumin, and saffron.
14. Bring to a boil.
15. Lower the heat.
16. Cover.
17. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
18. Stir in the remaining garlic, plus the peas, vinegar, and tomato.
19. Taste to correct salt.
20. Add black pepper and cayenne.
21. Simmer for only about 5 minutes longer.