Lemony Parmesan & Chickpea Soup with Escarole

Preparation

This quick and flavorful soup is adaptable to what you have on hand. Swap out white beans or cannellini for the chickpeas, and kale, dandelion greens or chard for the escarole. 

*This recipe originally ran in the US on HexClad.com.

1. Peel three 2-inch pieces of lemon peel and thinly slice each piece into strips; halve and set aside lemon. Heat a Hexclad 5 qt/4.7 L Hybrid Dutch Oven over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. Add sliced garlic, lemon peel, and chopped sage. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and garlic is just turning golden, 1 minute. Add chickpeas, broth and parmesan rind and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat slightly and simmer until flavors meld, about 10 minutes. 
2. While soup simmers, cut remaining garlic clove in half and rub all over the bread. Cut bread into 1 inch cubes. 
3. Heat remaining ¼ cup oil in a Hexclad 10”/25 cm Hybrid Fry Pan over medium-high heat. Add whole sage and cook until crisp, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Add bread and garlic clove to pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook, turning occasionally, until bread is golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to plate with sage and season with salt and pepper. 
4. Remove 1 cup of chickpeas from soup and mash with the back of a wooden spoon or blitz with an immersion or regular blender. Return to pot along with the escarole. Cook until escarole is just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and the juice of half the lemon (start a little at a time and taste before adding more). Discard parmesan rind. Ladle into bowls and top with croutons. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with grated parmesan, chile flakes and fried sage.