Herbed Tomato And Chickpea Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3/4 cup dried garbanzo beans, soaked overnight,cooked until tender (or use 1 can, drained and rinsed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, melted or 1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup finely chopped onion (about 2 medium)
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot (about 1 medium)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 - 1 teaspoon crumbled dried basil
1 small whole bay leaf
1 (28 ounce) can plum tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth or 3 cups water
crumbled dried basil

Preparation

Heat butter or olive oil over medium heat and saute garlic, onions and carrot until translucent; add pepper, herbs and tomatoes and bring to boil (note: I puree my tomatoes in the blender, but you can use them whole and break them up as they cook for more texture); reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, breaking up tomatoes as they cook; mix in chickpeas and broth; taste and adjust seasoning; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes to blend flavours; add more broth or water to thin, if necessary; serve with a sprinkle of dried, crumbled basil.