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Chick - Pea, Cod And Spinach Soup
(Potaje De Vigilia)
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| What You Need: |
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2 cups (1 pound) dried chick-peas (garbanzos)
½ pound salt cod
3 quarts water
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 large bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1½ pounds fresh spinach, washed, trimmed and coarsely chopped, or substitute two 10-ounce packages frozen leaf spinach, thoroughly defrosted, drained, squeezed dry, and coarsely chopped
4 whole blanched almonds, toasted (see Bolo de Amendoa a Algarvia), and coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
2 hard-cooked egg yolks
¼ cup olive oil
1 slice white bread, preferably homemade-type, trimmed of crusts and cut into ½ inch squares
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon paprika
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Starting a day ahead, wash the chick-peas in a sieve under cold running water, then place them in a bowl or pan and add enough cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Soak at room temperature for at least 12 hours.
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2. At the same time, place the cod in a glass, enameled or stainless-steel bowl or pan. Cover it with cold water and soak for at least 12 hours, changing the water 3 or 4 times.
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3. Drain the chick-peas in a sieve or colander. Pour 3 quarts of water into a heavy 5- to 6-quart casserole and add the chick-peas, ½ cup of the onions, the bay leaf and salt. The water should cover the chick-peas by about 2 inches. Add more, if necessary. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, and simmer partially covered for 1½ hours.
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4. Meanwhile, drain the cod and rinse under cold running water. Place it in a saucepan, add enough fresh water to cover the fish by 1 inch, and bring to a boil over high heat. (Taste the water. If it seems excessively salty, drain, cover with fresh water, and bring to a boil again.)
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5. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily when prodded gently with a fork. Drain thoroughly. With a small knife, remove and discard the skin and any bones, then separate the fish into coarse flakes. Set the cod aside.
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6. Drop the fresh spinach into 2 quarts of boiling water, and boil briskly for 5 minutes. Drain in a large sieve or colander, and when the spinach is cool enough to handle squeeze vigorously to rid it of all moisture. (Frozen spinach should not be boiled but simply defrosted, squeezed dry, and chopped.)
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7. With a large mortar and pestle or with the back of a large spoon, mash the almonds and garlic to a paste. Add the egg yolks and continue to mash until the mixture is smooth.
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8. In a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Add the bread and, turning the pieces frequently; brown them lightly on all sides. With a slotted spoon, transfer these croutons to paper towels to drain.
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9. Add the remaining ½ cup of onions to the fat remaining in the pan and, stirring frequently, cook for 5 minutes, or until they are soft and transparent but not brown.
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10. Sprinkle the flour over the onions, and cook for a minute or two until it browns lightly. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
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11. Crumble the croutons, and mash them into the almond and garlic paste. Then stir the crouton mixture into the spinach. Add the paprika and cook, stirring briskly, for 2 or 3 minutes.
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12. When the peas have cooked their allotted 1½ hours, stir the cod and the spinach mixture into the simmering soup and cook, partially covered, for 20 minutes longer. Then remove the bay leaf, taste for seasoning and serve in a heated tureen or individual soup plates.
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NOTE:
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1. This soup is traditionally served on Good Friday and other fast days, hence the name "soup of the vigil".
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