Today I am sharing a recipe that I make often and keep in a jar in my fridge, where it waits to become part of my kitchen magic more often than not. When I'm at a loss for what to have for lunch, this slow roasted blend of chickpeas, tomatoes, and aromatics all swimming in olive oil tends to come to the rescue more often than not. By giving this mixture a long stay in the oven, you end up with a soft, highly flavorful mixture that is happy in so very many roles. You will also end up with about a half cup of very seasoned extra virgin olive oil. I like to put this in a jar and store it in the refrigerator. I then use it for everything from frying eggs to making salad dressings.
If I have multi colored grape tomatoes, I like to use those since they are just very pretty in this mix. During CSA season, I often have gorgeous heirloom grape and cherry tomatoes to choose from and fresh garlic as well. Sometimes I even have hot peppers too, but I am a big fan of just adding a tablespoon of Trader Joe's <Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce. I keep that on hand and add a bit to all of my tomato sauce, pizza sauce, etc. Be sure to let the contents of the pot cool a bit before pouring off the extra oil into a jar. Trying to do it straight from the oven increases the risk of burns and no one needs that.
I love adding a bit of this mix to salads, on top of hummus, alongside a good steak or pork chop or chicken breast off the grill, sprinkled over rice or pasta, or just nestled onto a cup of plain yogurt for a savory treat. I love it so much that I'm pretty sure you can find it in my refrigerator more often than not. I hope you enjoy it too!
Chickpea Tomato Confit
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup grape tomatoes or chopped tomatoes
- ¼ cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon, cut into 1-inch-wide strips with a vegetable peeler
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped Calabrian chiles - I used Trader Joe's Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Mix the chickpeas, tomatoes, parsley, lemon zest, garlic, chiles, salt, and pepper in a large oven-safe pot. Pour the oil over the mixture; put the lid on or cover the pot tightly with foil. Bake until the chickpeas are tender and creamy but not mushy, about 1 hour. I love using earthenware bean pot for this.
After baking, remove and reserve ½ cup of the oil for other uses (great for salad dressings or sautéing purposes). Carefully stir the chickpea mixture. Serve hot or at room temperature. This makes an excellent side dish, condiment, salad topping, vegetarian main course over pasta, rice, bread, or greens. I keep finding new ways to use it and I have a quart jar of it in my fridge more often than not!
- Yields: About 1 quart
- Preparation Time: About 90 minutes - mostly hands off baking