Heat the olive oil in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic cloves and jalapeño and stir occasionally until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 3 minutes.

Transfer the garlic, pepper and oil mixture to a blender cup along with the roasted red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, pecans, red wine vinegar, paprika, parsley, and ½ tsp salt. Blend until mostly smooth and adjust salt to taste.

For the chickpea salad, add the chickpeas to a large mixing bowl and use a fork to mash them very well. Once mashed to your liking, add the diced bell pepper, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, jalapeño, and half the blended romesco sauce. Give the mixture a stir to fully combine. The mixture should hold together well once fully mixed. If needed, stir in additional romesco, a spoonful at a time, until your desired consistency is achieved.

For the optional roasted cabbage, preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the cabbage out on the tray, drizzle with the oil and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat then spread out evenly over the tray. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, giving a toss halfway through. The cabbage is ready when it is golden around the edges and softened.

Assemble the sandwich by smearing some cream cheese between two slices. Layer on the chickpea salad filling, cabbage, and marinated onions then top with the remaining slice of bread and enjoy.