Loading ...Hummus having its day - 4 mouth-watering recipes
By Jane Ammeson
“Remember a recipe is just an idea,” Gretchen Davis tells me before explaining how she takes hummus – a traditional dip or spread usually made from chickpeas (garbanzo beans), tahini (ground sesame seed paste), lemon juice, olive oil and spices – up a few notches.
Long a traditional Middle East dish, according to Dafna Hirsch who authored a cultural biography of hummus that appeared in an ethnology journal, the first written mention of hummus occurs in the Old Testament when Boaz insisted Ruth dip her morsel in a vinegar-based dish. Other hummus historians, says Hirsch, trace the dish’s origin to the time of Saladin, the 12th century sultan.
Whatever its history, for decades hummus in the U.S. was mainly found in health food restaurants and stores. But that was then.
Baum+Whiteman, a restaurant consulting company, released their report on the “11 Hottest Food and Beverage Trends in Restaurants and Hotel Dining For 2015” placing hummus among that category.
“Hummus has out-trended salsa, no small thing since salsa dethroned ketchup,” according to Baum+Whiteman’s report. “The chickpea dip has become so Americanized – which means piled with flavorings – that Subway is testing it as a no-meat option for its sandwiches.”
The report goes on to say that because hummus is high in protein and fiber and low in fat, it touches lots of dietary bases. Eight years ago, perhaps 12 percent of U.S. households had it in their refrigerator. Today, it’s 20 percent and rising.
Davis, who owned the restaurant Tootie & Dreamer’s in downtown St. Joseph, says her first experience with hummus was at a party.
“I’d never tried it before, and a friend was singing its praises so I gave it a try,” she says.
It was not love at first taste and Davis swore she’d never eat it again until a friend suggested not following the traditional recipe, but look for some alternative ingredients to enhance the flavor and texture. She also eliminated the tahini used in traditional hummus because, simply enough, she thinks it tastes like paste.
Now, Davis is so enamored with the spread she makes a variety she sells at her stand at the St. Joseph farmer’s market every Saturday.
“I prefer to make my own nut butters, which vary hummus-to-hummus depending upon the beans used – sometimes I do bean-less hummus, like my Paleo Cauliflower hummus – as well as the other ingredients,” she says. “I also vary the oils used in making the nut butters because they can add variations of layered flavors also. Then we come to herbs and spices, fresh and/or roasted vegetables and fruits, meat and seafood, vegetarian/vegan meat substitutes, and fresh dairy products. Why would anyone want to limit themselves to just plain hummus?”
Her inspiration for new types of hummus come from the very foods she enjoys most as well as suggestions from patrons, friends and pictures from cooking websites and magazines.
“When it comes to cooking, I used to say, the only limitations I have, are the limitations I place on myself,” she says, which to her means being willing to be fearless and unafraid to experiment. “There is hardly anything I wouldn’t try. Last year, I tried a BLT hummus and it was a favorite from the start. Another crowd favorite is Sun-Dried Tomato with Feta and Spinach. This year, I have Buffalo & Bleu hummus, Moroccan Spiced Carrot, Green Goddess hummus and Pizza Pie with Vegan Sausage. All have proven very popular so far.”
Currently, Davis is working on a Stuffed Green Pepper and Pastrami Sandwich hummus as well as a few others.
“So far the test batches I’ve shared with my loyal army of guinea pigs, which is the name my testers have given themselves, have come back with good results,” Davis says, “but I need to do a bit of tweaking yet before they appear on the menu.”
Tootie & Dreamer’s is currently selling prepared hummus at the St. Joseph farmer’s market on Saturdays. These products are frozen and will keep up to three months in the freezer, or if thawed, 7-10 days in the refrigerator. The farmer’s market runs until mid-October, but many of Davis’ products are available year-round.
Contact her at tootie@tootieanddreamers.com during the months the farmer’s market is not open, and she’ll make arrangements to deliver her products.
Beyond Tahini
Because Gretchen Davis doesn’t like the taste, she prefers to make her own nut butters when making hummus.
“To create your own nut butter you may choose any type of nut – macadamia, pecans, cashews, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, etc.,” she says. “I always use nuts that have the skins removed, as some skins leave an aftertaste. I always roast the nuts as it really brings out the flavor and enhances the final product. Process the roasted nuts in a food processor so they are finely chopped. Then add a bit of olive oil or vegetable oil, and process until you have a consistency similar to creamy peanut butter. You may also add herbs, spices, salt and pepper to the nut butter to create other variations.”
Is it truly hummus?
File this under the category of “Is there anything that isn’t controversial?”
According to Gretchen Davis, this year a hummus controversy involving the corporate brand of the New York-based Sabra – one of the major players in the packaged hummus market – and a request that would make it impossible to label any bean dip not made with chickpeas as “hummus.”
Sabra wanted the FDA to rule that any bean dip not made with chickpeas was not hummus. Sabra’s argument: hummus is the Arabic word for chickpea. If a manufacturer made hummus with black beans and refers to it as “black bean hummus” the FDA should intervene because by definition, hummus made of black beans isn’t hummus.
“My feeling is, who cares,” says Davis adding her 2 cents to the debate. “There are so many kinds of bean-based dips all around the world, but to limit hummus to one bean, or to limit it to any combination of ingredients just blows me away.”
The following recipes are courtesy of Gretchen Davis.
Buffalo & Bleu Hummus
Makes about 2 cups
If you love hot wings, this recipe is for you. You may make it as hot as you wish by using your favorite wing sauce.
1 cup macadamia nuts, roasted
1/4 cup olive oil (approximate measure)
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2 cup Frank’s Hot Wing Sauce (or your choice)
1 teaspoon smoky paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1-2 teaspoons garlic powder
1-2 teaspoons onion powder
15 ounces cannellini beans, drained, reserving the juice
1/4 to 1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: sliced green onion tops, and/or chopped red sweet peppers
In a food processor add the macadamia nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, hot sauce and spices, then pulse until well combined. If too thick, add a bit more olive oil as it should be a thin paste consistency. Add the beans and pulse until well blended. If the mixture is too thick, add a bit of the bean juice to thin to desired consistency. Place the hummus in a bowl and add the bleu cheese, stirring to mix well. If you choose to, add some green onion and chopped red peppers when ready to serve.
Serve with warmed pita bread or with fresh vegetables pieces. This hummus also is great used in place of mustard or mayonnaise on a sandwich,
Variation: Add some chopped, roasted chicken to the hummus, and serve it on toast points with a green salad for a light meal. Substitute chopped roasted garlic and caramelized sweet onions in place of the garlic and onion powder for a much more subtle flavor.
Paleo Cauliflower Hummus
Makes about 4 cups
Many people are following the Paleo Diet, Davis says. This recipe contains no beans, but does include roasted nuts for a great flavor base. You also may use prepared almond butter if you have it, or vary the nuts in your nut butter for a variety of flavor enhancements.
1 head of cauliflower, cleaned and cut into florets
1/4 cup olive oil (approximate measure)
1 tablespoon gusto seasoning blend
3-4 teaspoons paprika
2-3 teaspoons ground cumin
4 large roasted garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup slivered almonds, roasted
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of one lemon
Vegetable stock if needed
Sea Salt and pepper to taste (test for saltiness before adding)
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a plastic bag, add the cauliflower, olive oil and spices allowing the ingredients to marinate for 15 minutes. On a large, rimmed baking sheet covered with foil, empty the bag of cauliflower pieces and arrange to cover the pan. Bake until cooked to a soft stage, testing with a fork. Allow the cauliflower to cool before using.
In a food processor add the garlic cloves, almonds, olive oil and lemon juice and pulse to blend well with a smooth, thin paste-like texture. Add the cooled cauliflower and pulse until blended well. If you need to thin, use a bit of vegetable stock. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.
Variation: Use various herbs and spices you enjoy and change things up.
Spicy Chipotle Pumpkin Hummus
Makes about 3 cups
I’m always on the lookout for a new way to use pumpkin and this recipe is a great addition to any “South of the Border” dinner. Serve it with crispy tortilla chips, or use it as a spread for burritos.
1 cup shelled, and roasted pepita seeds (reserve a handful for decoration)
Juice of a fresh lemon
1/4 cup olive oil (approximate measure)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
2-3 roasted garlic clove, chopped
1 can (15 ounce) chickpeas, drained (reserve the liquid)
1 can (15 ounce) pumpkin puree
1 small can chipotle chilies in adobo
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon pepita seeds
Place all ingredients except parsley and reserve pepita seeds into a food processor and process until smooth. Add bean juice to thin to desired consistency. When ready to serve, sprinkle parsley and pepita seeds on top.
Green Goddess Hummus
Makes about 3 cups
I was looking through some recipes in my mother’s cookbook and found her recipe for Green Goddess salad dressing. I loved it, and had forgotten it was penciled in the back of the book. I was looking for something new for this year’s farmer’s market so I decided to create a Green Goddess Hummus. I hope you enjoy it.
1 1/2 cups shelled and roasted Pistachios
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil (approximate measure)
Juice of a fresh lemon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons onion powder
15 ounces cannelloni beans, drained and squeezed (reserve the liquid)
1 pound bag frozen, chopped spinach thawed and drained (reserve the liquid)
2-4 roasted garlic cloves
1 bunch fresh chives, washed and chopped
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
In a food processor add the pistachios, olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt and onion powder and pulse until well combined. If the mixture is too thick, add a bit more olive oil to thin to desired consistency. Add the beans, spinach, garlic cloves, chives and parsley and pulse until blended. If the mixture is thick, use the spinach liquid to thin to desired consistency.
Note: There are so many choices of greens that can be used for this recipe, and each will add a different flavor when used. Fresh spinach, mustard or collard greens can be very flavorful, and when I use them I do blanch them first, after removing the stems and spines if the spines are tough.
Source: www.heraldpalladium.com