Chickpea and Kale Soup

Chickpeas and Swiss chard both have an earthy nuttiness that is particularly suited to creating full-flavored vegetarian soups. --Evan Kleiman

It's suddenly freezing here in Marin, so soup was the order of the day. This chickpea and kale soup was inspired by a recipe from Pizzeria: The Best of Casual Pizza Oven Cooking by Evan Kleiman. It was warm and spicy and earthy. I added even more nuttiness to my version with some pesto and toasted pinenuts.

Here's my version:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 potato, cubed
3 carrots, sliced
2 diced tomatoes
1 tsp pesto
4 cups water
2 tbsp red lentils
8 oz chickpeas (canned)
1/2 bunch kale leaves, sliced
1/2 tsp cumin
2 slices jalapeno
salt and pepper to taste

Top with:
Baguette slice, toasted
1 tsp. pesto
1 tsp crumbled goat cheese or feta
toasted pinenuts


In a heavy saucepan, saute the onion in the olive oil until softened. Add the crushed garlic, carrots, potato, and butter and cook covered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the water, pesto, red lentils, and cumin and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and add the chickpeas, kale, jalapeno and salt and pepper. Cook over lowest heat for 30 minutes. Serve in a shallow bowl with a slice of toasted baguette, topped with pesto and goat/feta cheese and a generous sprinkling of toasted pinenuts.