Roasted Aubergine Soup with Harissa and Crispy Chickpeas

Ingredients

• 900 Aubergines, cut into large chunks, roughly 4cm
• 2 Red peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 2 Red onions, roughly chopped
• 5 Garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 4 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 tbsp Harissa pasterose harissa works beautifully here
• 900 ml Vegetable stock, hot
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 tsp Smoked paprika
• 400 g Tinned chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and thoroughly dried with kitchen paper
• 2 tbsp Neutral cooking oil
• 1 tsp Ground coriander
• 2 tsp Sea salt
• 1 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 Lemon, juiced
• 15 g Fresh coriander, roughly chopped (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan (220°C conventional). Spread the aubergine chunks, red peppers, red onions, and unpeeled garlic cloves across two large roasting trays. Drizzle with the olive oil, scatter over the cumin, smoked paprika, 1 tsp salt, and the black pepper. Toss everything together well, then spread into a single layer. Roast for 35–40 minutes, turning once halfway through, until everything is well roasted, caramelised, and slightly charred at the edges.About 40 min
2. While the vegetables roast, prepare the crispy chickpeas. Make sure the chickpeas are completely dry — spread them on a clean tea towel and rub them firmly to remove excess moisture and any loose skins. Toss with the neutral oil, ground coriander, remaining 1 tsp salt, and a pinch of smoked paprika. Spread on a separate baking tray and put in the oven alongside the vegetables for the final 20 minutes of roasting, until deeply golden and crisp.About 20 min
3. Once the vegetables are done, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins directly into a large saucepan. Add all the roasted aubergine, peppers, and onions, scraping in any caramelised juices from the roasting tray. Add the harissa paste and pour over the hot stock.
4. Use a stick blender to blitz the soup until completely smooth. Alternatively, carefully ladle into a jug blender in batches and blend until silky. Return the soup to a medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and taste, adjusting the seasoning and adding more harissa if you want more heat.About 5 min
5. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Top each serving with a generous handful of the crispy chickpeas and scatter over the fresh coriander if using. Serve immediately — the chickpeas lose their crunch quickly once they hit the hot soup, so get them on at the last moment.