Chickpea Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 pound salt cod
1 pound chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 in water to cover
1/2 head garlic, unpeeled in one
1 bay leaf
1 medium onion, peeled
salt to taste
2 tablespoons   olive oil
2 slices french bread, 1/4 inch thick
1 clove garlic, peeled
few strands saffron
1/4 pound spinach washed & trimmed and cut into thin strips
garlic croutons (optional)

Directions:

Soak cod in water to cover for 24 hours, changing water a few times. Drain chickpeas. Place in 5-quart pot with tightly fitting lid. Add water to cover and add garlic, bay leaf, onion and salt to taste. Cover and bring to a boil and simmer until chickpeas are tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Drain salt cod. Add cod to chickpeas during last 1/2 hour of cooking time. In skillet, heats oil and fry bread and 1 clove garlic until golden. Puree in blender with saffron and 1 cup cooking liquid from soup. Add to soup.

Remove garlic head and bay leaf. Set aside some whole chickpeas and cod for garnish. Puree remainder of soup in small batches. Return to stove and heat to simmer. Correct seasoning. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with whole chickpeas, flacks of salt cod, spinach and croutons.