Here we are at week six of the Food Matters Project, the brainchild of Sarah of 20somethingcupcakes and Kate from Cookie + Kate. Each week we all - here's the 'we' and we've grown to just over three dozen fellow foodie bloggers - cook the same recipe, from Mark Bittman's The Food Matters Cookbook, posting our interpretations and adaptations. 
This week Erin of Naturally Ella assigned us Mark's Hot Hummus. Here's the hostess's post. And here's what all the creative cookers whipped up: click here and look in the comments.
I stuck to the recipe - for the most part - to make the hummus, then I whipped up three different variations, serving them with mini pitas, carrot sticks, and a fennel-zucchini frittata, for lunch before we headed to the theatre to see our friends in a production of "The Aristocats." A Hummus Ménage à Trois is what happens when you put three distinct flavors all on one plate. It's fun; it's exhilarating; it's legal.
It was delicious, but I am still not sure why it has to be served hot. Maybe it's just me, but the only dip I like warm is spinach or artichoke dip...with the parmesan cheese melted and gooey; dipping crisp carrot sticks into a warm hummus just seemed wrong.
3 C cooked or canned garbanzo beans, drained but reserve liquid
4 garlic cloves
1/4 C olive oil
1/4 C tahini
3 T Bearss lime juice
Place all of the ingredients, except the lime juice, in a blender and puree until the mixture is smooth. Add liquid (garbanzo juice, olive oil, or tahini) until you have the consistency you want. Transfer the hummus to a medium saucepan and heat through, stirring constantly. Add the lime juice and adjust seasonings. Serve warm.
Here were the three variations I made: Feta Cheese and Smoked Sea Salt; Smoked, Bittersweet Paprika; and Fennel Pollen.
And, as a shout-out to the creative twists on the recipes, I plan to mention a few of my favorites each week. Photo credit to each blog; link provided.
Lena of Mrs. Garlic Head made a hummus souffle.
Jess at Cheese Please made a blood orange hummus.
Ana at the Suburban Peasant added her hummus to a carrot-cauliflower gratin.
I just bought feta cheese! Why did I not think of adding that in mine? Looks good!
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of fennel pollen before- does it taste different than fennel seeds?
ReplyDelete@Jen @prairesummers, fennel pollen does taste a little like fennel seeds, but - to me - not as strong. A little bit goes a long way, too. I've had that teeny container for years, just using a pinch here and there.
ReplyDeleteAdding cheese is a brilliant idea! These all look wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI need to get some fennel pollen for sure! I love all things fennel :)
ReplyDeleteI've never made hummus with cheese, brilliant! I think that will now go on my list. And thanks for the shout out! :)
ReplyDeleteHey Camilla, random question! I was just reading your bio, did you happen to get engaged in Los Roques?! I was just there a few months ago
ReplyDelete@Jess, no it wasn't Los Roques, but that looks gorgeous. We were SCUBA diving in Curacao.
ReplyDeleteI love the menage a trois! It's so much fun to see everyone's creative twists each week! I thought it was strange to serve it hot too, but I loved it. Did you try it?
ReplyDelete@Kristen, I DID try it and found it disconcerting, but after reading some of the other takes on it, I think as a hot dip it was odd. But as part of something really hot - such as a gratin or in a souffle - I think I might like it.
ReplyDelete