This weekend in Boston was very cold. I wanted to make a new soup, but it had to easy and quick. I flipped through a few recipes that I had saved and thought I would try this recipe from Bon Appetit.
Ingredients
1 large bunch Swiss chard (about 8 oz.)
6 garlic cloves, minced
6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¼ cup tomato paste
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tsp. hot smoked Spanish paprika
Kosher salt
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
Freshly ground pepper
1 8–10-oz. package Halloumi cheese, patted dry
1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
Preparation
Step 1
Remove ribs and stems from 1 large bunch Swiss chard (about 8 oz.). Coarsely chop leaves and set aside Cook 6 garlic cloves, minced, and 5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until garlic is light golden and fragrant, 5–7 minutes. Stir in chard ribs and cook until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Stir in ¼ cup double-concentrated tomato paste, 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 2 tsp. hot smoked Spanish paprika, and and season generously with kosher salt. Cook, stirring, until butter is melted and mixture turns brick red, about 1 minute.
Step 2
Add two 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed. Pour in 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, season with freshly ground black pepper, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook soup 20 minutes to let flavors meld.
Step 3
Meanwhile, grate one 8–10-oz. package Halloumi cheese, patted dry, on the large holes of a box grater. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high. Arrange cheese in pan in a single layer and cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes (cheese will release some water at first, but it will cook off). Stir in 1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest and season with black pepper. Transfer cheese crumbles to a plate.
Step 4
Season soup with salt and black pepper.
Step 5
Ladle soup into bowls and top with cheese crumbles.
