Spanish Chick-pea Soup with Mint and Garlic

Canned chick-peas are an under-rated storecupboard standby. Drained and puréed with lemon juice and garlic, they become hummus; dressed with vinaigrette they make a filling salad, and they are a tasty addition to curries, casseroles and stir-fries.

In Spain and Portugal, chick-peas are the key ingredient in a number of hearty soups. In this version, which is really a liquid hummus, I think it’s worth passing the soup through a sieve to give a silky-smooth finish before adding the fr