Salmon Chickpea Soup with Champagne

Ingredients

• 280 g chickpeas (canned)
• 250 g starchy potatoes
• 0.5 stalk leeks (white part only)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 500 ml vegetable broth
• 300 ml champagne
• Salt
• Pepper (freshly ground)
• 250 ml heavy cream
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 350 g smoked salmon fillet (skin removed)
• fresh parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Rinse the chickpeas in a sieve and drain. Wash the leeks thoroughly and slice into rings.

2. 2.

   Peel, wash, and dice the potatoes into small cubes.

3. 3.

   Sauté the potatoes and leeks in hot butter in a pot until translucent. Add the broth and 200 ml champagne, then add one‑third of the chickpeas, season with salt and pepper, and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until tender.

4. 4.

   Puree the soup finely. Then add the remaining chickpeas and warm through. Finish with cream, mustard, and the remaining champagne, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

5. 5.

   Cut or tear the salmon into bite‑sized pieces. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with salmon and parsley, and serve with fresh white bread.