3tablespoonsdry sherryor whatever white wine is open, or skip it
1teaspoondried rosemarycrushed
1teaspoondried thyme
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
6cupschicken or vegetable broth
4cupscooked chickpeasor cicerchie, freshly cooked or canned
1teaspoonhot chili sauceI used Sriracha, plus extra for drizzling
Juice of ½ lemonoptional
Grated Romano or Parmesan cheeseoptional
Instructions
In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, until beginning to slightly softened. Add the sherry or wine (if using) and cook until it is almost evaporated, about 2 minutes.
Add the rosemary and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken broth and the chickpeas and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the hot chili sauce to taste, re-season with salt and pepper as needed.
Puree partially with an immersion blender, making sure to leave some of the chickpeas whole and/or lumpy. You can tuck it in the fridge at this point, and reheat before serving; stir in the lemon juice, if desired. Finish each bowl with a squirt of hot sauce, a light drizzle of olive oil, or sprinkle of grated cheese, or all three.
Notes
Treat cicerchie like other dried beans: soak them in cool water to cover overnight, drain them, then simmer them in fresh water to cover until tender. The amount of time will depend on your beans – mine took about 45 minutes.