Although the weather has been mild and warm lately I’ve already thrown myself into soup making. I really love trying different recipes, and old favourites, every autumn and winter. The week before last I made Curried Sweet Potato from the River Cottage Veg book, last week it was my old fave Chilli lentil and tomato soup. The recipe is here, blogged a few years ago, if you fancy making it. Times flies etc when you’re blogging…
This morning it’s so much cooler that I made a batch of soup for our lunch. It’s Moroccan tomato and chickpea soup with couscous from the Good Food website. Spicy and hearty this is a goodie. I used 400g of homegrown tomatoes, rather than a can, as we’re still ripening bowlfuls around the house. (My ipad is on 2% so this post is a race against time!)
Moroccan tomato and chickpea soup with couscous
By Barney Desmazery
Serves 4
- 75g couscous
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 750ml hot vegetable stock
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped into small cubes
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- half a finger of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 1-2 tbsp ras-el-hanout
- 1 tbsp harissa paste, plus extra to serve
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 400g tin chickpeas
- juice ½ lemon
- roughly chopped coriander, to serve
Method
- Tip the couscous into a bowl, season with salt and pepper and stir through 1 tbsp of the oil. Pour over enough hot stock just to cover and cover the bowl with cling film and set aside.
- Heat the rest of the oil in a saucepan and cook the onion and carrot gently for 8 mins until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 mins more then stir in the ras el hanout and harissa and cook for another minute. Pour in the tomatoes and stock and give everything a good stir. Season, add the chickpeas and simmer everything gently for 20 mins until thickened slightly then squeeze over the lemon.
- Uncover the couscous and fluff up with a fork. Spoon the soup into bowls, top each with a mound of couscous, scatter with coriander and serve with extra harissa for those who want it.
Recipe from bbcgoodfood.com
:: I used only 1 tbsp of olive oil for the veg and none in the couscous
:: I omitted the chickpeas, it was filling enough without
:: Blended half the soup in my liquidiser as it was a bit ‘skinny’ for me with all the cherry tomatoes, it was a lovely consistency
:: Used 1 3/4 tbsp of ras-el-honout as it was all I had left, but that was perfect for a good spicy kick with the harissa
What are you up to?
The Little Room of Rachell 
Mushroom soup for me today. Chimney sweep booked for next week, nearly time for the wood burning stove. Your soup looks delicious.
How yummy that looks x thank-you for your time in putting the recipe together x
Oooooooo, that is my favourite and my best!! Watch out for the Harissa addiction ;)
Always have Harissa in the fridge – cook quite a lot of Moroccan influenced dishes. The soup is definitely a winner!
Hmmmmm, was tempted to do leek and potato this week but now I am having Harissa cravings!! Would be better for my iron levels because of the chickpeas ;)
Or take an extra tablet and make L&P? Either are good though. Love autumn.