Mideast Minestrone Soup (Shurbat Al-Khudar)

Ingredients

• 1-2 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 large leek, split, cleaned and sliced or 1  additional onion
• 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
• 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth (or a 14 1/2-ounce can or a mixture of broth and water)
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 large boiling potato, peeled and diced (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 3-4 small middle eastern pale-green squash or zucchini, diced (about 1 pound)
• 4-5 ounces spinach, turnip greens or other greens, rinsed, large stems removed (kale, chard) or half a 10-ounce bag leaves spinach or other greens, chopped (about 4 cups)
• 3 ounces vermicelli, spaghetti (about 1 cup) or extra-fine egg noodles, broken in 3- to 4-inch lengths (about 1 cup)
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or white beans (or a 15-ounce can, drained)
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• cayenne pepper
• 1 small loaf sourdough bread, sliced

Directions

1. 1

   Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onion, leek and half of parsley, and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until onion is soft and light golden. Add broth, 1 quart (or 1 L) water, carrot, potato, cumin and turmeric and bring to a boil. If using a potato, add an additional cup of water. Cover and simmer over low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

2. 2

   Add squash and spinach and bring to a boil. Add pasta and simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 3 minutes. Add chickpeas and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, or until pasta and vegetables are tender. Stir in remaining parsley. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne. Serve hot.