Chiorba

Ingredients

some salt
some black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 pound leeks
1 onion
1/2 carrot
4 garlic
3/8 pound savoy cabbage
3 tablespoons cilantro leaves
3 ripe tomatoes
1 harissa paste
6 3/8 cups vegetable broth approximately
15 ounces borlotti beans
5/8 cup yogurt
1/2 lemon for the juice
1 pinch paprika powder

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and saute the leeks and onion for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add carrot and garlic.

Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the greens, coriander and tomatoes, cover and cook for 2 minutes.

2. Stir in the red harissa paste (see variation), broth and beans. Cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender.

3. Combine yogurt and lemon juice. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the yogurt mixture. Season to taste. Serve immediately in large shallow bowls, sprinkled with paprika. Good with warm pita bread.

*VARIATIONS*

Lowfat: use less or no oil to soften the onions. Switch to a lowfat plain yogurt then reduce the lemon juice to taste. *Use parsnip, sweet potato, or pumpkin squash instead of carrot.

TESTED with red kidney beans and spinach, we used a Herbed Harissa instead of the red; mixed it with the yogurt and added at table.

TIP: If you make extra soup, do not add yogurt to the reserve. Yogurt should not be heated, only warmed by the soup.