Hawaij Onion and Chickpea Soup with Cheesy Toast

Amarante

Tue, Dec 21 2021, 3:05 pm

It was down to a chilly 69 degrees so I thought a nice pot of soup would hit the spot.

I was not familiar with Hawaij - perhaps some places sell it already blended but I blended ahead of time so prep was easy with the food processor. And onion soup is always better with cheese toast floating on top. Smile

Hawaij Onion and Chickpea Soup with Cheesy Toast

Excerpt From: Ottolenghi, Yotam; Murad, Noor. “Ottolenghi Test Kitchen : Shelf Love--recipes to Unlock the Secrets of Your Pantry, Fridge, and Freezer: a Cookbook

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 50 minutes

This is based on French onion soup. Similar to the classic, a large quantity of onions is cooked low and slow (use a food processor or mandolin to help you slice them), but everything else from that point on is a deviation. Hawaij is a Yemeni spice blend that complements the sweet onions, adding complexity and warmth, and the chickpeas add bulk, making this a meal in a bowl. The cheesy toast is optional but…it is melty cheese on crunchy toast after all, and we really think you should make it.

Serves 4, generously

¼ cup/50g unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2½ lb/1.2kg onions (about 7–8), halved and thinly sliced
1 cup/250g uncooked tomato purée
1½ cups/30g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 (15 oz/425g) can of chickpeas, drained (8½ oz/240g)
6⅓ cups/1.5 liters chicken or vegetable stock - depends on whether you have made parve with vegetable butter
salt and black pepper

SPICE MIX

1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 whole cloves
8 cardamom pods, shells discarded and seeds reserved
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tsp ground turmeric

CHEESY TOAST (OPTIONAL)

2 cups/220g coarsely grated mature cheddar
½ cup/10g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
6 slices of sourdough, cut about ¾ inch/2cm thick
1 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1. Put the butter and oil into a large cast-iron saucepan on medium-high heat. Once hot, stir in the onions, then turn the heat down to medium and cook, gently, for 1 hour, stirring only every 10 minutes or so. You want the onions to completely soften and turn golden.

2. Meanwhile, make the spice mix. Put the coriander and cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom, and fenugreek into a small frying pan and place it on medium-high heat. Toast for 5 minutes, then blitz in a spice grinder to a smooth powder (or use a mortar and pestle). Stir in the turmeric and set aside.

3. When the onions are ready, turn the heat to medium-high. Add the spice mix, tomato purée, and cilantro and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chickpeas, stock, 1¾ teaspoons of salt, and a very generous amount of black pepper and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

4. For the cheesy toast, preheat the oven to its highest broil setting. In a small bowl, combine the cheese with the cilantro, garlic, and a good grind of pepper.

5. When the soup is almost ready, place the bread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Broil for 1 minute, then remove from the oven and flip over. Brush the untoasted side with the softened butter, then the Dijon mustard. Top with the cheese mixture and broil for 3–4 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Cut each slice into three.

6. Divide the soup among four bowls and top with a piece of the cheesy toast, serving any extra cheesy toast alongside.

Get ahead:

– Make the soup the day ahead; the flavors will only intensify over time.
Make it your own:

– Swap out the chickpeas for canned cannellini beans, black-eyed peas, or kidney beans.
– Use any soft herb and a different blend of spices.
– Veganize it: use a vegan cheese, veggie stock, and olive oil in place of butter.