Brussels sprout, chick pea and lemon soup with sourdough toasts

Serves:4

Ingredients

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, 1½ finely chopped
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 x 400g cans chick peas, drained
1 fresh bay leaf
1.2 litres fresh vegetable or chicken stock
200g brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded
1 lemon, juice and 1 tsp zest
8 small slices sourdough bread
2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

Method

1. Gently heat 2 tbsp oil in a large saucepan and add the shallots, finely chopped garlic and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft and translucent, but not coloured. Turn the heat up a little and add the chick peas, bay leaf and stock. Bring to the boil, then partially cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes. Add the shredded sprouts, partially cover again and cook for 15 minutes more.

2. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Ladle 1 /3 of the soup into a blender, whizz until smooth, then return to the pan with the lemon juice and zest. Season. Heat a griddle pan until very hot and griddle the bread for 2-3 minutes on each side, until lightly charred. Rub the toast with the cut side of the remaining ½ garlic clove and brush lightly with a little of the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. Season and halve.

3. Reheat the soup gently if needed. If it’s too thick, add a little water. Finish with a scattering of chopped parsley and a drizzle of the remaining oil and serve with 2 garlic toast halves alongside or floating on top of each bowlful. 

This recipe first appeared in Waitrose Food, December 2017 issue. Download the Waitrose Food app for the full issue

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