Chef Andrew Zimmerman of Del Toro – Chicago, IL
Adapted by StarChefs.com
January 2007

Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

Fried Chickpeas:
• 2 8 ounce-can chickpeas, cooked
• Buttermilk, to cover
• Arborio rice, ground
  
  Garlic-Chili Oil:
• 6 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• ½ teaspoon chili flakes, to taste
• 8 sage leaves, to taste
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 orange, zested
• Sea salt, to taste

Method:
For the Fried Chickpeas:
Soak the chickpeas in buttermilk for about 1 hour, and then drain off any excess buttermilk. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Toss the chickpeas with the Arborio coating, shake off any excess, and deep fry in batches until they start to color. When they are a very light brown, remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined tray and keep warm in a low oven.

For the Garlic-Chili Oil:
In a sauté pan big enough to hold all the fried chickpeas, gently heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, chili, sage, and zests and allow the garlic to sizzle without coloring. Toss the fried chickpeas in the flavored oil and season with sea salt. Keep warm in low oven until ready to serve.