New York Times

Olive Oil-Braised Chickpeas and Broccoli Rabe

Braising in a pool of olive oil can turn tough ingredients creamy and luxurious without any of your attention. Canned chickpeas turn buttery-soft, and broccoli rabe’s bitterness succumbs to an oil seasoned with garlic, rosemary, chile and fennel seeds. Speaking of that oil, it’s as much a reason to braise as the silky chickpeas and rabe themselves. Soak it all up with crusty bread, or ladle it over pasta, yogurt, feta or mozzarella. The underpinnings of this recipe — chickpeas, vegetables, olive oil and seasonings — also make it great to riff on. Consider simmering chickpeas and olive oil with carrots, harissa and black olives; cherry tomatoes, thyme and lemon slices; or potatoes, shallots and cumin seeds.