Cleaning Out The Vegetable Crisper: Soup

I don't know about the rest of you, but my biggest challenge is in making sure the contents of my vegetable crisper don't turn into something terrible when I'm not paying attention. This is very much an out of sight, out of mind issue. I never have a problem with onions, potatoes, lemons, etc., because I keep them in a big bowl on my counter and I can see them. But the drawer at the bottom of my fridge...? Well. I hate to think about the limp carrots and liquifying greens I've neglected.

I do try. If I were perfect I would inventory every single day and base my meal plans on what's about to go off. But sometimes I get busy or find myself seduced by a recipe which requires NONE of the produce I have on hand, or I say the hell with it and go out to dinner. Or I just plain forget to look, I admit it. It's too bad, because it's quite satisfying to make something out of expediency. It makes me feel thrifty and smart and responsible.

In my latest crisper excavation I found a head a of escarole, some carrots, half an onion, some tired-looking cilantro and parsley and a few jalapenos. Sounded like soup to me. And not just any soup... but a variation on Moroccan Chickpea Soup. This is such an easy recipe-- and really satisfying. It's colorful, rustic and very hearty .The heat from the chili will clear your sinuses, too. The original version has no tomatoes in it and calls for cooking dried garbanzo beans (I cheat and use canned). The addition of escarole was perfect (chop it and add it about 15 minutes before you're ready to eat), though I did leave out the carrots (must do something with those carrots soon!).

Moroccan Chickpea Soup
serves 6 - 8

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
8  cups water 
1  tablespoon olive oil 
2  cups onions, chopped 
1 large can chopped tomatoes, drained 
8  garlic cloves, minced 
1  small hot pepper, chopped finely 
1/2  cup fresh coriander, leaf chopped finely 
1/2  cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped finely 
2  teaspoons salt 
1  teaspoon fresh black pepper 
1  lemon, juiced 
1  teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon  cumin
1  teaspoon ground turmeric

In a soup pot heat the oil and saute the onions, garlic, and hot pepper until they are very slightly browned.

Add the water or chicken stock, the chickpeas and the rest of the ingredients. Let it come to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it simmer for a while-- no more than an hour to avoid mushy chickpeas.

This is really low calorie-- a single serving (assuming you use water and not chicken broth) is under 200 calories.

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Comments

[Deborah]

This sounds like a perfect recipe to clear out the veggies. I'm horrible about letting veggies go bad in the fridge. Just the other day I bought some celery, just to get home and find a whole thing of celery already in the fridge. I've been snacking on it like crazy this week!

[Adele]

I am entirely too familiar with the Crisper Drawer Excavation. We've tried moving vegetables out of the crisper drawer and putting condiments there instead, but then the problem becomes Back-of-The-Fridge Horrors.

Maybe the only answer is a smaller fridge.

[Johanna]

I know the feeling of vegetables turning to soup in the crisper - and not the sort of soup you want to eat! I used to shop for vegies once a week but have started shopping a bit more and planning a bit more to avoid this. But the crisper can bring out creativity in cooking!

By the way, ann and jack - I am holding a little one off event to ask people to make a nut roast by 18 April because I love nut roasts and never see them on blogs - if you are interested check out the nut roast post for info on nut roast and rules - http://gggiraffe.blogspot.com/2008/03/neb-at-nut-roast-invitation.html (and if you don't want to make one but Jack has encountered them in Britain and wants to do a bad teeth and lousy food post on them that would be great too as I am keen to hear from people who have encountered them and I loved his last bad teeth and lousy food)

[Aran]

i love soups for this reason. anything goes. yummy!

[Cakelaw]

Did I see low calorie, chicken and Morroccan in the same post?? Irresistable!

[Cakespy]

This looks awesome--when I clean out the crisper it's usually only stuff the guinea pigs could love, if even. The fact that you can make something delicious like this...well, it kind of boggles the mind. :-) This looks really tasty.