Harissa Olive Oil-Braised Chickpeas and Fennel

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 60 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

I am never without a can of chickpeas in my pantry. There are endless ways to turn them into a meal, from tossing them into salads to smashing them onto toast. But my absolute favorite is perhaps the most overlooked — and that’s braising! It’s easy, it’s hands-off, and it’s totally transformative.

Ingredients

1 medium fennel bulb with fronds
4 cloves garlic
1 medium lemon
2 (about 15-ounce) cans chickpeas
1 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons harissa paste or sauce (such as NYShuk), plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 ounces feta cheese
Crusty bread or cooked couscous, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 325°F.
Coarsely chop 2 tablespoons fennel fronds and reserve. Trim the top and bottom of 1 medium fennel bulb. Quarter, core, and thinly slice. Smash 4 garlic cloves. Halve 1 medium lemon. Thinly slice half the lemon and remove the seeds from the slices; reserve the remaining half. Drain and rinse 2 cans chickpeas.
Pour 1 cup olive oil into a 9x13-inch or other 3-quart baking dish. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons harissa paste and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; stir to combine. Add the chickpeas, fennel, garlic, lemon slices, and 3 fresh rosemary sprigs. Toss gently to coat everything in the harissa olive oil and arrange into an even layer.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake, stirring halfway through, until the chickpeas are soft but not falling apart, and the mixture is bubbling, about 1 hour total.
Uncover and squeeze the juice from the reserved lemon half over the chickpeas and stir to combine. Let cool for 5 minutes. Taste and if you like things spicier, stir in a bit more harissa as desired. Crumble 4 ounces feta cheese over the top, sprinkle with reserved fennel fronds, and serve with crusty bread or over cooked couscous, if desired.