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Homemade Hummus Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:50:20 -0700

Watching Party plan out her Summer cocktail soirée has left me in the mood for party bites and nibbles myself. When I show up to another friend's bash, my go-to appetizer (especially during the hotter months) is a container of freshly blended, cool, nutty hummus. It's better than store-bought, takes relatively little time to make, and puts a smile on everyone's face - even the hard-to-please health nuts. My favorite formula calls for sautéing the garlic first to eliminate any sharpness, but if I'm in a rush, I'll simply throw the essentials together in a processor and give it a whirl. See both options.

'Wich of the Week: Minty Greek Eggplant and Feta

YumSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:00:20 -0700

I know I made a sandwich with eggplant just two weeks ago, but such is the life of a home cook: I had an extra eggplant sitting around that I had to find a use for! So I improvised this totally different - and in my opinion, even more delicious - Greek-inspired sandwich.

Needing to cook the eggplant ASAP, I roasted it on a Sunday and made the sandwich the next day; if you make the eggplant in advance, this simple sandwich comes together in just over five minutes. The slightly sweet, balsamic-roasted eggplant stacks up beautifully next to warm, salty feta. Thin strips of mint and a slather of hummus make it even more complex and rich. To get the recipe and lots more photos, read more.

Eggplant, Mint, and Feta Sandwich
Original Recipe

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
8 slices wheat bread
1/2 cup hummus
12 slices of feta cheese, about 1/4-inch thick
1 cup mint leaves, julienned
4 pieces of red leaf lettuce

Directions

Prepare eggplant: Preheat oven to 450°F. In a small bowl, combine olive oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Lay eggplant rounds on a baking sheet and, using a brush, coat each piece with the olive oil mixture, flip the eggplant, and brush the remaining sides. Bake the eggplant for 20-25 minutes, turning once. Remove and let cool. (Note: eggplant can be prepared up to one day in advance.)

To make each sandwich, spread 1 tablespoon of hummus on a slice of bread. Divide the eggplant by four, and top each hummus-coated bread slice with eggplant. Cover eggplant with 1/4 cup of mint, and place three slices of feta cheese on top.

Place the ingredient-covered slice and a second slice of bread in a toaster oven on high until the bread is lightly browned and the cheese has softened.

Place a lettuce leaf over the feta, and spread one tablespoon of hummus on the remaining slice of toast. Place hummus-side down onto lettuce to close the sandwich, cut in half, and serve.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

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Monday's Leftovers: Hummus-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 07:50:20 -0800

Although there are few cuts of meat more versatile than boneless, skinless chicken breasts, it can be easy to tire of white chicken meat, as it's often prepared in the same, predictable ways.

For dinner tonight, use leftover cutlets to pull your palate out of a chicken slump. This recipe for chicken breasts stuffed with hummus, panko, pine nuts, and spinach is elegant and easy. To make this exciting take on chicken breast, read more.

Hummus-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

One 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and wrung out
2/3 cup hummus
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, butterflied by your butcher and pounded 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup flour
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
4 tablespoons butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine the spinach, hummus, pine nuts and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.
Season the chicken with salt and place one-quarter of the hummus mixture on the right side of each breast. Fold the left side over the mixture. Using toothpicks, close the open sides.
Place the flour in a wide, shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Beat the eggs in another bowl and place the panko in a third bowl. Coat the stuffed chicken with the flour, shaking off any excess. Dip the chicken in the egg, then coat with the panko.
In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat until the foaming stops. Add the chicken and cook, turning once and adjusting the heat as necessary, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes. Discard the toothpicks and slice each breast into pieces.

Serves 4.

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Latest War in the Middle East Over Hummus

partysugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:45:18 -0700

A group of Lebanese businessmen have accused Israel of stealing their traditional dish, hummus. Although the exact origins of the creamy garbanzo bean spread are unknown, the Lebanese Industrialists Association, lead by Fadi Abboud, plan to sue Israel for ownership. Abboud hopes to make hummus a dish with protected geographical status.

Similar to how feta cheese must be made with Greek sheep and goat's milk or how champagne must be made with grapes native to the Champagne region of France, Abboud believes hummus and other local delicacies (baba ghannouj, tabbouleh) deserve geographical protection. His case may be futile, though; the Protected Geographical Status Law applies only to countries in the European Union. There is no such law in Lebanon and Israel.

I think the whole thing is a bit comical: who has time to fight over the ownership of hummus? Still, I'm curious to see if hummus is declared a product specific to Lebanon. What do you think about the claim?

Smooth and Creamy Homemade Hummus

partysugar — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 08:00:57 -0700

Although I've made hummus with canned garbanzo beans a bunch of times, recently, I decided to experiment with a dried variety. The resulting hummus was delicious and incredibly rich with a perfect texture. Using the dried beans seemed to make it fuller and more luxurious than other any other hummus. You do, however, need to let the beans soak overnight, so don't wait until the last minute to make the puree. Served with crisp pita chips, this hummus was a scrumptious start to a Mediterranean meal. To look at the recipe, read more.

Hummus
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

1/2 pound dried chickpeas
1 tablespoon baking soda
7 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup tahini, at room temperature
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt
Paprika, for garnish
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Pita bread, for serving

Directions

In a medium bowl, cover the dried chickpeas with 2 inches of water and stir in the baking soda. Refrigerate the chickpeas overnight. Drain the chickpeas and rinse them under cold water.
In a medium saucepan, cover the chickpeas with 2 inches of fresh water. Add the garlic cloves and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat until the chickpeas are tender, about 40 minutes.
Drain, reserving 10 tablespoons of the cooking water and 2 tablespoons of the chickpeas. Rinse the chickpeas under cold water. Peel the garlic cloves.
In a food processor, puree the chickpeas with 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water, 1/4 cup of the olive oil and 6 of the garlic cloves. Add the cumin along with 1/4 cup each of the tahini and lemon juice and process until creamy. Season the hummus with salt and transfer to a serving bowl.*
Wipe out the food processor. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of tahini, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of reserved cooking water, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and garlic clove and puree.
Using a ladle, make an indent in the center of the hummus. Spoon in the tahini-lemon mixture. Sprinkle the hummus with the cumin and paprika.
Garnish with the reserved whole chickpeas** and the parsley, and serve with pita bread.

Makes about 4 cups.

Make ahead: the ungarnished hummus and cooked chickpeas can be refrigerated separately for up to 2 days.

*I thought the hummus was a little bland, so I added in more cumin and tahini, smoked paprika, and fresh ground black pepper. Taste the hummus and season according to your liking.

**I forgot to remove some of the whole chickpeas and did not use them as a garnish.

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Reader Recipe: Hummus With Pita Chips

YumSugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:00:36 -0700

I haven't made any fresh hummus recently, but when I came across Shiloh Jolie Pitt's recipe, I remembered how it's super easy to make. While you could buy a commercial variety from the grocery store aisle, there's a significant difference between the taste of store-bought hummus and the creamy homemade kind. To make the entire meze even better, take a few minutes to toast the pita chips in the oven - they'll come out warm and crispy. Like Shiloh suggests, it's easy to vary the flavor by adding sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, parsley, or anything else that suits your fancy. To get this delicious recipe, read more.

Submitted by TeamSugar member Shiloh Jolie Pitt
Hummus & Pita Chips

This is the basic recipe, you can change it by adding roasted peppers or sun dried tomatoes.

INGREDIENTS:
4 garlic cloves, mashed
2 15-oz cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2/3 cup of tahini (roasted, not raw)
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
salt to taste

- If you want to cook your chickpeas, soak them overnight and then cook in water with a dash of oil to soften them, for about 2 hours, don't add salt until they are cooked because that will make them tough.

Put all ingredients minus salt in food processor. Process until smooth then add salt to taste. Process again until everything is blended.

Pita chips: Cut pita bread in small triangles.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminium foil, arrange pita triangles and brush pieces with olive oil. Put under broiler until golden.

To serve, drizzle olive oil and sprinkle some paprika on hummus, accompany with pita chips. ENJOY!

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Come Party With Me: Bachelorette - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:45:15 -0700

When hosting a destination bachelorette party in a glamorous location like Vegas, set aside plenty of time to plan the party. Being organized with a schedule of events, set dinner reservations, and selected club locations will aid in making the event fabulously seamless. Let guests know what's up in advance, so they can pack appropriate clothing.

For my friend Elena's bachelorette party in Las Vegas, all of the meals will be eaten out. However, one of the nights before we go out, everyone will gather in my room for a lingerie shower. I've ordered a trio of appetizers - white bean hummus with kalamata relish, Bloody Mary cocktail meatballs, and spinach gruyere pinwheels - from the hotel, so everyone can sip Champagne and have a snack.

For more wedding coverage head over to IDoSugar. To take a look at these recipes, read more.

White Bean Hummus with Kalamata Relish
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
One 4-inch sprig fresh rosemary
Two 15-ounce cans white beans, such as cannellini
2 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 pita breads, warmed and cut into triangles
Kalamata Relish, recipe below

Directions

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Cook until onions are translucent, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add beans with their liquid, 1 cup of water, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and bring to a simmer. Cook until liquid is nearly evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove thyme and rosemary sprigs; discard.
Carefully transfer mixture to the bowl of a food processor, add the tahini and lemon, and puree until smooth. Adjust seasoning, if necessary. Transfer to a serving bowl, let cool.
Top with Kalamata relish and drizzle with olive oil before serving. Serve with pita triangles.

Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

Kalamata Relish

1 plum tomato, seeded and very finely chopped
2 tablespoons pitted Kalamata olives, very finely chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, stir together the tomato, olives, olive oil, parsley, lemon juice and zest until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes about 1/2 cup.

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Bloody Mary Cocktail Meatballs
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1 small tender celery rib with leaves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 slice white sandwich breadsoaked in warm water, squeezed dry and crumbled into pieces
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup Three-Pepper Bloody Mary, recipe below

Directions

In a bowl, combine the beef and pork with the celery, horseradish, egg, bread, hot sauce, salt and pepper and knead well. Roll the meat into 1-inch balls.
Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet until shimmering. Add the meatballs and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 5 minutes.
Add the Three-Pepper Bloody Mary and simmer over moderate heat until the liquid is reduced by half and the meatballs are glazed, about 2 minutes. Serve hot.

Makes 32 meatballs.

Three-Pepper Bloody Mary

1 cup vodka
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 small garlic clove, smashed
1 small jalapeño, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce, preferably habanero
2 1/2 cups tomato juice
4 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Lime wedges and celery ribs, for serving

In a blender, combine the vodka with the onion, garlic, jalapeño, lemon juice and hot sauce and puree until smooth.
Add the tomato juice, horseradish, celery salt and pepper and blend.
Strain into tall glasses over ice and serve with lime wedges and celery ribs.

Makes about 4 cups.

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Spinach Gruyere Pinwheels
From Paula Deen

Ingredients

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
1 (17 1/2-ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Drain spinach well, pressing between layers of paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, for 5 minutes.
Stir together spinach, mushrooms and cheese; set aside.
Roll 1 pastry sheet into a 13 by 11-inch rectangle.
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Brush 1/2 melted butter over pastry. Spread 1/2 spinach mixture over butter.
Roll-up, jellyroll fashion, starting with the long side. Repeat procedure with remaining pastry sheet, butter, and spinach mixture.
Wrap rolls in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days, if desired. Cut rolls into 1/4-inch thick slices.
Place on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serves 12-15.

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Killer App: Endive Boats

YumSugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:28:11 -0700

The other night I got home from work and was starving. Unfortunately we had late dinner plans that evening, so I couldn't chow down too heavily. We also had limited supplies in our cabinets; there was no bread, crackers, or fruit to snack on. Oddly there were several heads of fresh endives and I figured that was a good place to start.

Endive is great in that you can trim the bottoms off and use the leaves in lieu of crackers. Sometimes I just dollop a mixture of blue cheese and candied walnuts on the ends, and other times I use a tapenade or a hummus. This time I ended up ~~cleaning out my pantry~~ blending canned tuna, hummus - it was a nice replacement for mayonnaise - sundried tomato/olive tapenade, and chopped cherry tomatoes into a creamy mixture. I then placed a small spoonful on each end. It ended up being the perfect snack and I was able to save the rest of the mixture - which I put on top of a bed of leafy greens - for lunch the next day.

If you've never had endive, I suggest you give it a try. The outer leaves tend to be more bitter than the inner ones, which are creamy and mild. Just think of them as carb-free savory crackers, and top them with whatever you feel like! They're a great personal snack and make for an elegant appetizer. Most people are always thrilled by them, so give it a go and let us know what you make!

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Yummy Link: Hummus With A Twist

partysugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:00:51 -0700

If you enjoy flavored hummus, definitely check out this recipe for pineapple curry hummus. It sounds delicious and is super simple to make. - 28 Cooks

Come Party With Me: Oscars Viewing - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 08:28:31 -0800

Instead of serving a sit down dinner at your Oscars viewing party, offer a smörgåsbord of snacks like Wolfgang Puck does at the Governors Ball. Provide a hearty mix of homemade and store bought appetizers. Have a cheese plate with several different types of cheese, crackers, flatbreads, crostini, and grapes. A platter of salumi - salami, proscuitto, chorizo, etc. - with olives compliments the assortment of cheeses. Order a couple of sushi platters from your favorite sushi restaurant.

Supplement these grocery store goodies with easy to make dishes: smoked salmon pizza, blue cheese popcorn, smoky chipotle hummus, and gingery chicken satay with peanut sauce. For the recipes, please read more.

Smoked Salmon Pizza
From Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine

Two 12-inch store-bought partially baked pizza crusts
Extra-virgin olive oil
Pepper
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup drained capers
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3/4 pound sliced smoked salmon

Preheat the oven to 450°.
Drizzle the crusts with olive oil, season with pepper and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, shallots, 2 tablespoons capers, 1 tablespoon dill and the lemon juice.
Spread the cream cheese mixture on the crusts. Top with the smoked salmon, remaining 2 tablespoons capers and 1 tablespoon dill. Cut into wedges.

Serves 6.

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Blue Cheese Popcorn
From Emeril Lagasse

3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1/3 cup white popping corn
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (1/3 pound) piece assertive blue cheese, frozen
1/2 cup coarsely chopped lightly toasted walnuts
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

In a large, partially covered saucepan, heat the oil and 1 kernel of popcorn until hot enough to make the corn pop. Add the remaining popcorn and cook, partially covered, shaking until all the corn is popped.
Transfer the popcorn to a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. While popcorn is hot, grate the blue cheese over the popcorn. Add the walnuts and chives and toss until evenly coated. Serve immediately.

Makes 10 cups.

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Smoky Chipotle Hummus
From Bon Appetit magazine

2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)*
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
21/2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chilies**
1 large garlic clove, minced
11/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 4-ounce jar sliced pimientos in oil, drained
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 6-ounce packages roasted-garlic bagel chips

Reserve 3 tablespoons garbanzo beans for garnish.
Blend remaining garbanzo beans and next 7 ingredients in processor until smooth.
Add pimientos; process, using on/off turns, until pimientos are coarsely chopped.
Transfer hummus to medium bowl. Stir in cilantro. Season hummus to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with reserved garbanzo beans. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.) Accompany with bagel chips.

Serves 20.

*Sold at Middle Eastern markets, natural foods stores and some supermarkets.
**Chipotle chilies canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.

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Gingery Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
From Food and Wine magazine

4 large shallots
4 large garlic cloves
2 stalks of lemongrass, bottom 6 inches only, outer leaves peeled, inner stalk cut into 1-inch pieces
2 serrano or jalapeño chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise 1 inch thick
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Light a grill.
In a mini food processor, combine the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, chiles, ginger, soy sauce, coriander and ground pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of the fish sauce and process to a fine paste. Transfer half of the seasoning paste to a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat.
Thread the chicken strips onto skewers. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil and let stand for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepan. Add the remaining seasoning paste and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil, stirring. Whisk in the peanut butter and the remaining 1 tablespoon each of brown sugar and fish sauce and bring to a simmer. Transfer the sauce to a blender, add the lime juice and puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
Grill the chicken skewers over a hot fire until lightly charred and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter or bowl and sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve with the peanut sauce.

Serves 6.

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