Garbanzo Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb Garbanzo Beans, dried
- 1 tbs Salt, to soak beans
- 2 large Potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 1 large Onion, chopped
- ½ large Green Pepper, chopped
- 4-5 cloves of Garlic, minced
- 2 Spanish Chorizo, sliced thick
- 1 Ham bone
- 1 lb Ham, pre-cooked and cubed
- 8 cups Water
- 2 tbs Olive Oil
- 6-8 strands of Saffron
- ⅛ tsp Paprika
- ⅛ tsp Oregano
- ⅛ tsp Basil
- 2 Bay Leaves
- Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions
Soak the beans
- Rinse garbanzo beans.
- Soak overnight with 1 tbs salt in enough water to cover beans.
- Drain the salted water from the beans.
Next day – Start cooking beans with ham bone
- Place beans in 4-quart soup pot; add 8 cups of water and the ham bone.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 1½ hours, skimming foam from the top.
- At the 1½ hour mark, remove the bone and if there is any meat on it, cut it off and set aside.
- Then, get a potato masher and gently push down on all the beans to aid in softening.
Mise en place – during the 1½ hours of cooking beans with ham bone
- Chop onion and green pepper.
- Mince garlic.
- Slice chorizo.
- Cube ham, peel & quarter potatoes.
- Portion olive oil, oregano, saffron, paprika, basil, bay leaves.
Put it all together
- In a skillet, pre-heat 2 tbs of olive oil over medium high heat (making sure not to burn oil).
- Add onion, green pepper, salt and pepper, saute lightly for about 4 – 6 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add cubed ham (plus any off the bone), potatoes and garlic, cook for about 2 – 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add ham/onion/potato mixture to beans along with paprika, saffron, oregano, basil and bay leaves. Stir well.
- Add salt to taste and cook on low for about another 1½ hours.
- Add chorizo about 30 minutes before removing from heat.
- When beans and potatoes are tender, remove from heat.
- Serve hot in deep soup bowls with buttered Cuban bread on the side for dipping.
Notes
Garbanzo Bean Soup is a hearty and nutritious soup that can be enjoyed by itself or as part of a larger meal. Cook it low and slow!
Credits
This special recipe was found on http://allkindsofrecipes.com/