Were you wondering how many packages of bacon I have in my fridge right now?
Answer: four. Four packages. One fewer than yesterday.
Sometimes I’m a bit excessive.
Would you still be my friend if I told you I buy butter in bulk? What about the purple tie-dyed scrunchie I use to pull my hair up when I wash my face at night? Or the disaster zone I call my closet? Worse yet, my makeup drawer—dusty with a little glitter from Urban Decay’s Midnight Cowboy. That’s the eye shadow, not miniature cowboys hiding in my dresser.
Or the fact that I made a strawberry-peach crumble and ate the whole thing within 24 hours?
Or that I forgot to shower for two days? Mr. How Sweet certainly thought that was wrong. I didn’t mind.
How about the detail that I toasted these chickpeas in bacon grease? Good, bad, indifferent, appalled—what do you think?
Raise your hand if you think bacon deserves a national holiday. Twice a year, even. I’d celebrate. I’d throw the party. You’re all invited.
This chickpea salad is a dream. Vegetarian friends, I use the word “salad” loosely—because frying something in bacon grease and calling it a salad is a recurring theme here. Call it indulgent. Call it bratty. It’s still delicious.
Put this chickpea concoction at the top of your list. It has fiber and a pleasant crunch. Green pepper, red onion and garlic sizzle in salty bacon grease, lending a savory, slightly smoky flavor that calls to mind a cheesy pizza topped with bacon crumbles. Freshly shaved parmesan ties everything together—creamy, savory, and utterly moreish. Trust me: it tastes way better than it sounds.
Toasty Parmesan Chickpea Salad
serves 2
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 slice bacon, chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped
1/4 green pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
A handful of freshly chopped parsley
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and fry until golden. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain it on paper towel, leaving the rendered bacon grease in the skillet. Add the chopped onion and green pepper to the bacon fat and cook for about 2 minutes, until they begin to soften.
Pat the chickpeas dry, then toss them with the smoked paprika and black pepper. Add the chickpeas to the skillet and toast, stirring, for 5–7 minutes until they become slightly crisp. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for one minute more. Turn off the heat and stir in the grated parmesan and chopped parsley. Sprinkle the reserved bacon on top and serve immediately.
Confession: this recipe really could serve just one hungry person. I won’t apologize.