Creamy Chickpea Soup with Rosemary

1 tablespoon of olive oil
5 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaf minced (MUST use fresh; the whole recipe hangs on this flavor coming through)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 (15-19 ounce) cans chickpeas (aka Garbanzo Beans) rinsed & drained
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
sea salt to taste
fresh group pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and add garlic, rosemary and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic starts to brown, about 1 minute. Add chickpeas and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes; let cool slightly. Transfer soup to a blender (I used my food processor), cover loosely and puree until just smooth. Or use an immersion blender if you have one of those magical toys.

Return to the saucepan and stir in lemon juice and sea salt and pepper to taste. Serve, garnished with a fresh rosemary sprig, or an additional drizzling of olive oil. If you’re wowing somebody, you can add a drizzle of Crème fraîche or heavy cream and do a little drizzle swirly art thing.