I’m not sure if this turned out more as a condiment or a soffrito. I guess it doesn’t really matter but the long and the short of it is that it can be used almost anywhere; you can add it to stews or casseroles as a great boost to flavour; serve it on top of grilled fish or meat, or simply toss it through some wholemeal pasta with lots of fresh parmesan and some parsley.  In the picture, I’ve used it a  topping for bruschetta along with some goat’s cheese.  The sweetness of the confit is a great foil for the acidity of the cheese.

• 1 Carrot
• 2 Stalks Celery (leaves removed)
• 1 Medium Onion
• 1 tsp Brown Sugar
• 1.5 tsp Sea Salt
• 0.5 tsp Dried Marjoram
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 strip Lemon Zest (taken with a peeler, about the same size as the bay leaf)
• Black Pepper
• 0.5 cup Olive Oil

The preparation is basic, just a brunoise of the vegetables mixed together with the other ingredients and baked under oil in a low 110C oven for about 4 hours until the vegetables break down.  There should be a slow stream of bubbles escaping the oil as the water in the vegetables steams off.