Leek and Potato Soup

Another chickpea recipe …

400g cooked chickpeas
3 potatoes
3 leeks finely sliced
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic finely sliced
Salt
Pepper
650ml stock

Cook leeks and garlic with salt in olive oil until very soft. Add chick peas and potatoes and cook one minute. Add stock and simmer 15 mins – adding more stock if too dry.Puree mixture until smooth (I have also mashed quite successfully - just a bit chunkier). Add pepper to taste.

Falafel

400g cups cooked chickpeas
4 spring onions chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
3 tbl parsley chopped
1 tbl mint chopped
½ tsp cayenne
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander
½ tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbl flour

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until a thick paste. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Form into small balls and fry in oil until brown (can also be cooked in the oven).

Hoummus

I love chickpeas and make hoummus most weekends. We usually eat it with flatbread but lately have been making falafels as well and rolling them up in bread with the hoummus, lettuce, spinach, cucumber, tomato, sprouts and (the best bit) grated beetroot.

400g cups cooked chickpeas
Water
2 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic
½ cup tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice

Blend/puree chickpeas with enough water to make a thick paste. Blend in crushed garlic and salt. Add tahini and lemon juice alternately. Adjust quantities to taste.