tommie, chickpea and crab bisque

I must admit I'm pretty chuffed about how this recipe turned out.

As my work buddies know, as 4pm clicks over I start to ponder the options for that nights dinner. I knew I didn't want anything too heavy and that I had a can of chickpeas on my pantry shelf.

After a little deliberation and LOTS of actual work I googled tomato, chickpea and crab bisque - I wouldn't thought of doing that 'cept for the fact that I'd enjoyed a number of tomato bisques in The States and thought they were yummy!

The recipes I found all looked pretty complicated. Creamy at best or ingredients I had no chance of finding with such short notice! - Clam juice anyone?

So I decided to make it up with a few tips from the recipes I had found.

Shopping trolley:
1 small onion
5 garlic cloves
1 can diced tomato
1 jar tomato puree
1/2 litre liquid vegetable stock
bunch fresh basil
light sour cream
1 cup fresh crab meat (canned crab meat will be fine)
1 can chickpeas

Prepare.

Finely dice the onion and mince garlic.
Roughly chop basil

Cook! (Total time including preparation 40 min)
1. Saute' diced onion and garlic over a low heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook, stirring until clear and cooked through (5-10 minutes).
2. Add 1/4 cup vege stock and stir through.
3. Add chopped tomato and 1 cup tomato puree.
4. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, making sure that the soup doesn't burn, clear the sides of the saucepan.
5. Add vege stock and tomato puree until desired consistency occurs (around 1/2 cup of stock and 1/2 cup puree). Simmer for another 5 minutes.
6. Add basil, chickpeas and drained crab meat. Stir through. Add a little more stock/puree if needed for taste or consistency. Bring to high simmer.
7. Off the heat, add 2-3 tablespoons sour cream (depending on how creamy you want it).

Serve and enjoy!
I had it without bread but a nice turkish bread or salad would be yummy!