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Monday, May 17, 2010

A Wild Side of Hummus


Hummus is definitely an under-appreciated condiment, if you will, in the United States. Call it opinion or upbringing, but I had never tried the stuff growing up. Not that we disliked it, chickpeas were an occasional part of our diet; hummus was just as foreign a substance in my household as grits are in the average Midwest establishment. The idea of a bean dip being so utterly delicious and versatile is a continuing revelation that I am glad to partake in.

Hummus purists may stone me for saying it, but here goes. The more I tinker and blend the concoction the more convinced I become that chickpeas and tahini are not essential ingredients. Ok, I got that off my chest and am now ready to talk some serious blasphemy. These hummeses were created with the mindset that to break the mold is a good thing. Getting a little radical and funky is what good food is all about. Not that these are Wylie Dufresne bizarre, but they are certainly not combos to be found in a market and that is definitely the point of good food. These party pleasers or snacking gems are so tasty you will wonder why you have never used some of these under-appreciated peas for some now appreciated dips.

Smoky Blackbean Jalapeno Hummus
This dish may sound more familiar than the others, but believe me the hickory smoked sea salt is a real incredible thing with the meaty turtle beans. This would also make a killer burrito topper.

1 can black beans drained
2 garlic cloves
2 jalapenos halved and de-seeded
1/2 C olive oil 
1 tsp. hickory smoked sea salt

*2 pieces bacon, crisped and crumbled

Puree ingredients thoroughly and check consistency which may vary according to bean. Add a splash more olive oil if needed. Crumble bacon on and enjoy with sesame crackers or chips.

Black-eyed Pea Verde Hummus
The citrusy tang of the salsa verde really marries well with the earthiness of the peas and cumin. If you are not accustomed to eating black-eyed peas now is the perfect opportunity.

1 can black-eyed peas drained
1/2 C. salsa verde (or 1 tomatillo and a squeeze of lime juice)
1 garlic clove
1/4 C. olive oil, may vary
1 small shallot 
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. sel de gris salt
Puree ingredients thoroughly and add a little more salt or a grind of pepper to taste. Garnish with a dollop of salsa verde and a sprinkle of cumin. Enjoy with sesame crackers or tortilla chips.

Butterbean Pimento Cheese Hummus
This version is where it gets radical. Dawn was unsure of using cheese but the end result is delicious. It is a hybrid between cheese dip and hummus with added creaminess from the butterbeans and just enough spice from the pimentos.
1 can butterbeans drained
1 4 oz. can pimentos drained, reserving some for garnishing
6 oz. colby cheese
1/2 C olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt salt
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika

Puree until ingredients become a smooth creamy cheddar orange. Sprinkle a few pimentos on top for garnish and enjoy. This dip goes excellent with saltine crackers, chips, or as a spread.

2 Sesame Crackers
These crackers really pop from the duo of good sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds. They accompany dip perfectly and won't last long after they are baked if there is anyone in the kitchen.

1 large egg
1 1/2 T. water
3/4 C. all purpose flour
3/4 C. white wheat whole flour
1 T. sugar
1/2 T. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 stick of cold butter chopped
2 T. toasted white sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl until fully incorporated. Cut butter into dry ingredients until clumpy sand consistency. Add egg and stir until incorporated without overdoing it. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into squares with fork prick marks or cut into circles and bake for 17-22 minutes.
 
 

25 comments:

Brian Samuels Photography said...

Pimentos have such nice flavor, what a nice idea to include them in hummus. I'm looking forward to trying all of these the next time I have a party...

Great recipes!

grace said...

i LOVE your varieties here! i wasn't introduced to hummus until college, but i've never looked back. homemade is clearly superior, especially since you can make all the twists and turns that you want. my love for spicy stuff makes the black bean batch the one i'll try first, but the other two are just as tempting. again, well done--you'll hear no cries of blasphemy from me!

Rick said...

YES! I'm always looking for new hummus recipes. Just discovered lemon hummus this week. These look great!

Drick said...

OMG - all three of these are just too great - the blackbean may be my favorite but the butterbean is just southern enough to be a fun hit at my next party ... along with the sesame crackers

Ana Powell said...

Over here also.
All three look really good but the Butterbean Pimento Cheese Hummus is my favourite ♥

Pam said...

I love hummus - all three of these flavors sound wonderful.

Scott K said...

How fun! We love hummus. I'll definitely be looking for new variations.

Marly said...

Hummus is so delicious and these are versions of the recipe Ive never seen before. Thanks!

Stella said...

Hey Guys, I agree. My whole family loves hummus now, but, when we were growing up, we never had it. I didn't know what it was till I was a teen.
These all sound so good. I like that pimento cheese one especially-yum!

Reeni said...

I didn't even know what hummus was until a few years ago. Never had it growing up either. These are very creative! I eat black beans all the time - that one would be my favorite. And I really love the sound of the butter bean one.

Anonymous said...

Such wonderful hummus creations! I've never thought of a hummus makeover before but now will definitely put it on my future event list, so fun!

faithy said...

great write up! I have never tried hummus before, but after reading your post, i'm changing my mind and want to give it a try soon! Thanks for sharing different recipes..i'm book marking this page! :)

Mother Rimmy said...

Awesome hummus! We love it in this house with fresh vegetables or pita crackers.

Angie's Recipes said...

Creative hummus dips! They all sound so tempting!

Barbara said...

I adore hummus! And really love your take on it. Especially the black bean hummus. (Did I see bacon there? No wonder I liked it!)
Very creative!

Lyndas recipe box said...

Breaking the mold is fun in cooking-there's always a new taste to try and experiment with.
I 'll try the black bean hummus first, yum!
Wonderful blog!

denise @ quickies on the dinner table said...

Love, love LOVE hummus and love all your 3 variations! Just last week I made a green pea and lemon hummus which was wonderful! Still on the lookout for more recipes as I think they're a great way to get my kids to eat some fibre and veg without them knowing it ;)

Emily said...

Wow, what a great blog! I'm so inspired by your wonderful recipes and photos. Hummus has always been a favourite of mine and I love your twist on it.

pam said...

Okay, this post is just genius! Because what is hummus after all, but a very specific bean dip. Why not expand it!!

Emily said...

I love you creativity towards hummus. It's time to bring some colors to the original version.

Joanne said...

Hummus was never a part of my life until I went to college but now I can't imagine how I survived without it all those years! I'm loving all of your variations here and I agree with you - chickpeas and tahini are NOT essential (although I do really love tahini-filled hummus). I've made a pumpkin curry hummus which was good and a white bean version. I will definitely be trying some of these!

Fresh Local and Best said...

These are all exciting blends that I am going to have to keep in mind for the next party.

Anonymous said...

You need to check out The Desert Cafe in Baltimore. They also sell their hummus at the Baltimore Farmers Market. Talk about wild flavors...they call themselves The Wild Pea. Sushi, Bloody Mary, Cinnamon Raisin, PB and J are just a few of the flavors this guy does. Amazing!!!!!

Debbie said...

Wow, so many hummus recipes to choose from, thanks!

Hazel - Chicken in a Cherry Sauce said...

What amazing varieties of houmous (that
's how we spell it over here!) you have made. We have jalapeno over here but no black bean and jalapeno, sounds delicous! I just love love LOVE houmous and when I move over to California in September, I hope to find it. But if not, I shall be using some of your recipes :)

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