This is a recipe adapted from a Rachael Ray recipe. While I'm not generally bit fan of Ms. Ray, this one I found delicious. Her recipe calls for portuguese linguica: I made it without the sausage once for my vegetarian friends, and found it just as delicious. Feel free to add some, but know that it's a hearty, comforting, flavorful soup either way.
1/2 cup dried garbanzo beans/chickpeas
2 roma tomatoes
2 small white potatoes
approx. 3 cups of fresh kale, coarsely chopped
1/2 yellow onion
1/2 shallot
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tsp vegetable bullion(I use the canned "Better than Bullion!" vegetable stock concentrate)
salt and pepper to taste
Rinse and soak the chickpeas overnight, then change the water and bring to a boil. (Actually, I generally don't soak them at all, but I only make this recipe when I have time on my hands. If you have the time, then rinse and cover the chickpeas with several inches of water and bring them to a boil.) Simmer them on medium-high for about an hour and a half, or until they start to soften.
Wash and cube the potatoes. Chop the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces; dice the onion and shallot.
In a shallow pan, heat the olive oil and add the potatoes, onions, shallot, and bay leaf. Saute until the onions begin to soften, then add the tomaotes. Cook until the onions are transparent, then add the mixture to the simmering chickpeas. Add the vegetable bullion, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on medium-low for about half an hour, or until the potatoes are soft and the broth has reduced to just cover the vegetables.
Add the kale and cover, cooking until the kale has wilted into the soup.
Eat!
