BaltimOregon to Maine

I meant to post that I entered my first cooking contest last week, sponsored by the local Ten Rivers food security group. Using as many local ingredients as possible was key. Some gorgeous green local leeks seduced me into making Potato Leek Chickpea soup, but unfortunately four out of the 16 entries were variations on potato leek soup (one included smoked salmon, unique). I also used the dried chickpeas harvested from a nearby grass seed farm. But it wasn’t an original recipe (I adapted it from the Naked Chef Jamie Oliver, see below). I’m especially excited to try this vegetarian borscht recipe that won first place, made by my friend Anna Cates, from my Acro-Yoga class. Borscht or some other beet soup might be in the cards tomorrow night. Or a hearty chili.

Jamie Oliver’s Potato-Leek-Chickpea Soup
12 oz. chickpeas (I used canned or soak dry ones)
•    1 medium potato peeled
•    5 medium leeks
•    1 tbs. olive oil
•    1 tbs. butter
•    2 cloves garlic
•    salt and pepper to taste
•    3 cups chicken stock
•    Parmesan Cheese for garnish

Directions:
1.    Cooks the peas and potatoes covered with water until tender (if you used canned, cook the potatoes first until more soft then add chick peas.)

2.    Remove outer skin of leeks, slice length-ways, wash carefully, slice finely.

3.    Warm a thick-bottomed pan, add oil and butter, then leeks and garlic.  Cook until tender and sweet.  Add 2 of the 3 cups of stock to the sautéed leeks.  Simmer 15 mins.

4.    Puree half or all the soup. You can also just leave it chunky.  Add the remaining 1 cup of stock.

5.    Enjoy!