Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
1 large onion, medium diced
6 to 8 cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 heaping teaspoon sweet paprika
1 (14.5-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
3 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
1 quart vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (5-ounce) package pre-washed baby spinach
Directions
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onions begin to turn translucent; lower heat if browning starts to occur. Add spices and saute a minute or so. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, and sugar. Season with a couple pinches of salt and 10 grinds fresh pepper. Stir well. Chickpeas should be just covered with liquid. If level is shy, add some water so the chickpeas are just covered.
Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to low and gently simmer for 45 minutes.
Remove soup from heat. Use a potato masher to mash up some of the chickpeas right in the pot. Stir in the spinach and let heat through until wilted, just a couple minutes.
Season again, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Serve soup, drizzled lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.
Recipe courtesy Dave Lieberman
CATEGORIES: Onion Side Dish Soup View All
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dave-lieberman/moroccan-spiced-chickpea-soup-recipe.html?oc=linkback
S
ooner or later, a vegetarian will show up at your cook-out, look into your carnivorous eyes, and ask to be fed. Don't be caught flat-footed as a host. This meatless menu preempts the politically correct and will have even the most unrepentant meat-eaters sniffing the air hungrily. First up, flame-seared Portobello Mushrooms topped with cheese, the vegetarian equivalent of a cheeseburger. Reminiscent of a grilled steak is ginger-studded Grilled Tofu. And finally, Steven presents a smoky, revamped version of an American classic, Macaroni and Cheese with Fire-Roasted Onions.
GINGER-GRILLED TOFU "STEAKS"
With Miso Mayo
Source: BBQ USA by Steven Raichlen (Workman Publishing, 2003)
Method: Direct
Yield: Serves 4
Advance Preparation: 1 hour for marinating the tofu
FOR THE TOFU AND MARINADE:
2 blocks extra-firm or firm tofu (1 pound each)
1 piece (1 inch) fresh ginger, peeled
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup mirin (sweet rice wine; or cream sherry)
3 tablespoons Asian (dark) sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
FOR THE MISO MAYONNAISE:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup white miso
1 tablespoon sugar, or more to taste
2 teaspoons grated or finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
∏ teaspoon freshly ground white or black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or rice vinegar, or more to taste
Holding your knife parallel to the cutting board, cut each block of tofu in half through the side to form a total of 4 broad, thin "steaks." Blot the rofu steaks dry with paper towels. Cut the piece of ginger crosswise into 8 slices, each 1/8 of an inch thick. Cut each ginger slice into 5 slivers (you'll have 40 in all). Insert 4 slivers of ginger into the top and 5 slivers into the bottom of each piece of tofu; they should go right in, but if you need to, make starter holes with the tip of a skewer. Place the tofu steaks in a baking dish.
Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and black pepper in a small nonreactive bowl and whisk to mix. Pour this mixture over the tofu, turning the pieces to coat with the marinade. Let marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 1 hour.
Place the mayonnaise, miso, sugar, grated ginger, garlic, lemon zest, and pepper in a food processor and puree to a smooth paste, scraping down the side of the bowl once or twice with a rubber spatula. With the motor running, add the oil and lemon juice through the feed tube. Taste for seasoning, adding more sugar and/or lemon juice as necessary; the sauce should be sweet with just a hint of tartness.
Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high.
When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the marinated tofu on the hot grate and grill until nicely browned, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Pour any leftover marinade over the grilling tofu, dividing it evenly between the 2 sides. After turning each piece of tofu, spoon a little miso mayonnaise over it. Transfer the grilled tofu to a platter or plates. Serve the remaining miso mayonnaise on the side.
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