Chickpea Soffritto: 2000s Recipes + Menus : gourmet.com

2000s Recipes + Menus

Serves6 (side dish)

Active time:30 min
Start to finish:10 hr (Includes soaking chickpeas)

RODNEY DUNN,THE AGRARIAN KITCHEN, TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA

April 2009

You’d never guess that these simple ingredients could produce such a delicious dish, not to mention one you can easily pull together from things you probably already have on hand. Keep a stash of cooked chickpeas in your fridge and you’ll be able to whip up this soffritto on demand. It’s great tossed in pasta, too.

3/4 lb dried chickpeas (1 1/2 cups), picked over
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 medium red onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 tablespoons rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
6 celery ribs, finely chopped (3 cups)
2 medium carrots, finely chopped

Accompaniment:

lemon wedges

Generously cover chickpeas with water and soak at least 8 hours; or quick-soak (see cooks’ note, below). Drain.
Generously cover soaked chickpeas with water in a 4- to 5-qt pot and simmer, partially covered with lid, adding more water if necessary, until tender, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain.
Heat 1/2 cup oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook onions, garlic, fennel seeds, and rosemary with 1/2 tsp sea salt, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden, about 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add chickpeas, remaining 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 tsp sea salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Cooks’ note: To quick-soak chickpeas, cover with water by 2 inches in a medium pot and bring to a boil, then boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and soak, covered, 1 hour. Drain, discarding water.