hummus

HARISSA HUMMUS / August 28, 2020 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

closing out august with one of my very favorite things: hummus. this time around we’re adding a healthy dose of fiery harissa paste. harissa varies widely, but it’s a spicy-smoky aromatic chile paste. typically harissa is made from a blend of fresh or dried chiles, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice; and spices such as: caraway, cumin, and coriander. it’s bright and a bit fiery, and just a little adds so much to such an array of meals.

this harissa hummus was inspired by one of mine and frank’s favorite spots we would frequent often in brooklyn: sahadi’s. we would go there almost every weekend to pick up their spicy hummus, mujedara, and some grocery items. but that hummus, guys. it was the highlight to the weekend. we would bring it to our local park, louis valentino on a breezy summer night and watch the sun set behind the statue of liberty. so while i can’t replicate that park or the view we once had, but i can make a hummus that comes pretty close to sahadi’s spicy hummus.

we essentially start by making a batch of my sunflower seed hummus (you can use a typical chickpea-based hummus recipe if that’s what you prefer). from there, we simply add a few teaspoons of harissa paste (this is my favorite), and blend it all up. it gives the hummus a beautiful muted orange color that i like to jazz up with toppings. i usually go with chopped herbs, toasted sesame seeds, harissa oil, and a good couple pinches of flaky salt. serve it up with some gluten-free pita bread and you’ll be one happy camper. ❤️

big end-of-summer hugs!

harissa hummus | gf & v

print the recipe

| makes roughly 1 1/2 cups |

this hummus recipe uses sunflower seeds. however, if you can tolerate beans/legumes you can use this classic recipe, or this mung bean recipe and add the amount of harissa pasta indicated below.
i like serving this with warm gluten-free pita bread, but cool crisp veggies are just as good, too :)
as for harissa paste, you can certainly make your own. but if you want to purchase it, i highly suggest ny shuk, it’s the best. you can also find a good one on the east side of LA at cookbook in echo park.

ingredients

1 cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked for at least 3 hours, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup tahini
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2-3 teaspoons harissa paste
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
freshly cracked pepper
1/3 -1/2 cup water, to thin

toppings (optional):

chopped dill
toasted sesame seeds
harissa oil*
flaky sea salt

method

add the sunflower seeds, tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons harissa, garlic, salt, a few cracks of pepper, and 1/3 cup water to the container of a high-speed blender (preferably a vitamix). whiz everything together on high, scraping down the sides of the blender as you go. add more water as needed to get everything blended and smooth, making sure the hummus is uniform in color.
once it's blended to your desired consistency (i tend to like it a bit on the fluffy, silkier side), taste and adjust the lemon juice, harissa, and salt if needed.
spoon the hummus into a bowl. top with a few sprigs of dill, toasted sesame seeds, harissa oil, and flaky salt, if you’re not eating it right away, scrape the hummus into an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. take out of the refrigerator 1 hour before serving so it’s not too cold.

*harissa oil:

whisk together 1/2 - 1 teaspoon harissa paste with 2 tablespoons olive oil. taste and adjust, adding more oil or harissa paste as needed.

similar recipes:

SALTY SMASHED POTATOES W/ HARISSA YOGURT

KABOCHA SQUASH TAHINI / February 7, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

(BEAN-LESS) KABOCHA SQUASH HUMMUS | dolly and oatmeal

we’re coming in hot this week with this bean-less (!!) hummus! why bean-less? mostly because i can’t really do beans without severe stomach pains, but also because while i was on this bean-less hummus journey i found that a hummus without chickpeas can in fact taste like magic, AND have a similar whipped consistency to traditional hummus. hence, me sharing this recipe with you!

if you haven’t noticed around here, i loooove kabocha squash over all other winter squash. it’s slightly sweet and earthy, and has the most luscious texture, which lends itself so nicely to a fluffy, creamy hummus. all we did here was remove the chickpeas, and in its place, added roasted kabocha squash. all that’s added is a good bit of tahini (the more the merrier), lemon juice, garlic, some ground cumin, and some water to thin it all out some. it’s blended up in a food processor, and can stay in your fridge for up to 4 days. you can add just about any seasonings you like, whether that’s swapping in some smoked paprika for the cumin, maybe some roasted shallots for the garlic, or swapping the kabocha with another winter variety (although i do nudge you to give the kabocha squash a go if you can get your hands on one).

happy february, loves! xo

KABOCHA SQUASH TAHINI | v & gf

print the recipe!

kabocha squash is my preference here, but if you can’t easily access it, then using acorn, or butternut squash will be just as good. you could also use one medium-sized sweet potato as well.

| makes about 1 1/2 cups |

1/2 large kabocha squash, cut in half (or 1 small kabocha squash, cut in half

avocado or olive oil

1/3 cup tahini paste

1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt & pepper

water, to thin

toppings:

toasted pumpkin seeds

extra virgin olive oil

thyme sprigs

rosemary sprigs

method

preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. oil the cut sides of the squash, and place cut side down. cook for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until it’s tender when pricked with a sharp knife. remove from the oven and let cool completely.

once cool, scoop the seeds and the stringy bits from the center of the squash and discard. then scoop out the flesh and place it into the cup of food processor fitted with a metal “s” blade. add the tahini, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and salt & pepper. blend, drizzle in the water through the spout, a little at a time, scarping down the sides as you go, until you get a smooth consistency. taste and add more lemon juice, salt, pepper, spices, if need be.

scoop hummus into a large lidded container. store in the fridge for up to 4 days. once ready to serve, let it sit out at room temp for roughly 30 minutes. give it a good stir, then plate your hummus and top with a drizzle of olive oil, toasted pumpkin seeds, and fresh herbs. serve with crackers, fresh sliced veggies, or warm crusty bread :)

similar recipes:

A%2BSpring%2BOnion%2BDip%21%2B_%2BDolly%2Band%2BOatmeal.jpg

Bean-Less, Sunflower Seed & Black Garlic Hummus / May 31, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Bean-Less Hummus! Sunflower Seed & Black Garlic Hummus | Dolly and Oatmeal

i already know the question exists out there that if chickpeas aren't involved in a hummus recipe, does it even qualify as hummus? my personal answer is yes, yes it does in fact qualify. there are many iterations of certain recipes where i draw the line, but when you can modify a beloved food with an ingredient to slightly alter it, then i wholeheartedly think that it has a place at the table.

i first had a sunflower hummus at one of my favorite brooklyn restaurants, vinegar hill house. frank and i went for our birthdays one warm september night and ordered it for our appetizer. theirs was a combination of chickpeas and sunflowers seeds, and they topped it with anise oil and roasted summer squash, but i still remember the hummus' flavor and silky smooth texture. it's been almost 3 years since that meal, and i've thought about making a sunflower seed hummus, sans chickpeas, in that time. a few weeks ago i pulled the trigger, and i'm so excited i did :)

first, there are few things to make this hummus the very best it can possibly be:

a high-speed-blender is key to making it super smooth.
good quality tahini is also pretty crucial (i highlight a few of my favorite brands below).
if you have the time, make hummus ahead of time. i try to plan a couple days out when i i'm going to make it, having it sit in the fridge to let the flavors meld make all the difference (in this hummus, but all other hummus recipes as well). i prefer to eat homemade hummus 2-3 days after it was prepared, it's just that much tastier.

i will say, you do have to be a fan of sunflowers seed's flavor in order to enjoy this hummus. i personally love it; it's nutty and full-bodied, and totally luscious. a bit thicker than its chickpea hummus counterpart, but still fluffy and smooth like a good hummus should be. i like sprinkling the top with za'atar, adding a glug of good quality extra virgin olive oil, as well a pinch of flaky sea salt. you could definitely add your own toppings, or add a specific spice into the blending process that you prefer, but i try to refrain from taking too much flavor away from the lovely combination of flavors here.

favorite tahini brands: (most of these i was able to find in certain neighborhoods in brooklyn or nyc, but fortunately they're also available online as well :) . i also should note that i use tahini almost everyday, and therefore i store it at room temperature, which i prefer. but if you use it less frequently, then i would suggest storing in the fridge.)

beirut - my brooklyn go-to (but you apparently you can purchase it online, too)
soom
seed + mill
365 - an everyday grocery store go-to
al wadi
roland

big hummus-y hugs!! xo

sunflower seed & black garlic hummus

black garlic can be hard to come by. if you can't find it, and you don't mind another step, roast a head of garlic and use 2-3 cloves. but if you don't want another step, simply use regular garlic.

PRINT THE RECIPE!

| makes just over 2 cups hummus |

1 cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked overnight (or at least 4 hours), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup tahini
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 large lemon, or 2 small lemons)
4 cloves black garlic cloves (or 2-3 cloves roasted garlic cloves, or 1-2 cloves regular garlic, roughly chopped) *see notes above
fine sea salt
fresh ground pepper
filtered water, to thin

optional garnishes:

za'atar
extra virgin olive oil
a pinch of flaky sea salt
herb flowers

method

combine the seeds, tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, garlic, salt (i start with about 1 teaspoon, and add more later if needed), a couple grinds of pepper, and 1/2 cup water in the container of a high-speed blender (if you don't have a blender, a food processor will do, but the hummus will not have a silky smooth texture). whiz everything together on high, scraping down the sides of the blender as you go. add more water as needed to get everything blended and smooth.
once it's blended to your desired consistency (i tend to like it a bit on the thinner, silkier side), taste and adjust the salt, and lemon juice, if needed.
scrape the hummus into an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
serve with a sprinkle of za'atar, a swirl of olive oil, a pinch of flaky sea salt, and herb flowers to garnish. grilled or toasted bread is optional, but very much preferred ;)