Hummus (chickpea)

 

 

This is another very popular middle-eastern recipe that nowadays appears in almost every supermarket. I prefer to make it myself, because I don’t like hummus to be too smooth or light. Ideally, you make it with a very full-flavoured olive oil. 

 

Serves 4 as a starter

 

Ingredients 

 

1/2 cup dried chickpeas, soaked and cooked OR 400 g (14 oz) can chickpeas

1/2 tsp dried, minced garlic - use more if you like a strong garlic flavour

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp lemon juice

salt and pepper

extra olive oil

paprika

Method:

• Cook the chickpeas for five minutes longer than usual and drain, reserving the liquid. The idea of this is to ensure that the chickpeas are really soft.  Indeed, this is one of the advantages of home-cooked chickpeas: canned ones are occasionally a bit too firm. If using a can, drain it and reserve the liquid.
• Put the chickpeas into a mixing bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher.  Use a stick blender if the canned ones are a bit firm.  You can put them in a blender, but they are a complete pain to clean out!
• Incorporate the garlic, olive oil, tahini and lemon juice. The flavour from garlic granules permeates the mixture more quickly than fresh garlic.  Diced garlic works, but not everyone appreciates pieces of raw garlic.  Combine thoroughly. You should have a thick paste. If it’s too thick, mix in some of the reserved cooking liquid/water. If you prefer a more commercial-style hummus, mix further with a wire whisk, adding extra liquid to produce a lighter, smoother purée.  Tahini varies tremendously in texture: some is like thick peanut butter, some is like runny honey in texture.  This recipe assumes a thin peanut butter-like consistency.
• Season – carefully with salt if you’ve used canned chick peas, which may already be salted, and generously with black pepper.
• To present the hummus attractively, scrape it into a crockery bowl, smooth it down and then make little ridges with a fork. Dribble olive oil over the top and then sprinkle with paprika.  Or chop some fresh parsley and sprinkle it over the top.

Variations:

• Add 1/2 tsp ground cumin when you mix in the garlic.
• Add 1/4 tsp cayenne or dried chilli flakes, when you add the garlic.

 

Egg spread

This makes a lovely filling for sandwiches and as long as they’re in a plastic box, works well for picnics, because it doesn’t make the bread soggy. It can also be used as a dip (although then you do need to chop the eggs very finely, pass them through a sieve or put them in a blender) or spread on crackers. However, serve these immediately or the crackers will go soft.

 

Serves 4 as a starter, 2 for sandwich filling

 

2 hard-boiled eggs

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1/2 tsp dried, minced garlic

a few drops of hot sauce

1/2 tsp tarragon

  Annie's Seasoned Salt and pepper

 

Method:

• Cook the eggs and once they are cool, peel and dice them and put them in a bowl.
• Mix in the mayonnaise, garlic, hot sauce and seasoning to make a firm spread.

Variations:

• Use yoghurt instead of the mayonnaise. 
• Leave out the tarragon and – possibly – the hot sauce and add 1 tsp curry paste to the mix. 
• Use fresh herbs if you have any available. 
• Add diced green or red pepper, avocado, cooked mushrooms, cooked asparagus, diced onion or chopped spring onion. 
• Add diced cucumber – this will, however, make the mixture much wetter.   
• Substitute crushed green peppercorns for the normal pepper. 
• Add 1/4 tsp celery salt instead of the seasoned salt.

Lentil and harissa pâté

This is a really good pâté, that I invented one Christmas. The harissa gives it an unusual flavour, without making it too overpowering.

Serves 4 or more as a dip or starter

 

1/2 cup split lentils

1/2 onion, diced finely

1 cup water

chilli flakes to taste

1/4 tsp garlic granules

1 tsp harissa seasoning

1 tbsp ground flax seed 

salt and generous grind black pepper

1 tbsp tomato purée

1 tbsp lemon juice

 

Method: 

• Add the lentils, onion, water, chilli and garlic to a pan. Cover and cook over a low heat until the lentils are soft and the water absorbed.
• Remove from the heat and add the harissa and the ground flax seed. Mix thoroughly. The flax seed adds a bit of body: if you prefer the pâté to be softer, omit it.
• Add the tomato purée and lemon juice and let the mixture cool before serving with bread or crackers.

Harissa seasoning

Real Harissa, is a paste made from the following spices, plus roasted red pepper, tomato purée, fresh garlic, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. It is totally delicious and can be used in many ways. Unfortunately, when you make it yourself, it will soon go mouldy unless you have refrigeration, like most things that contain tomato. You can, however, use the following recipe and mix it with the above ingredients to make an ersatz harissa paste, in the quantity you need. (Instead of a whole roast pepper, just cut off a piece of red pepper and hold it over a flame until the skin chars. Then remove the skin and blend it with the above ingredients and some of your harissa seasoning from the recipe below, in a blender.)

 

However, this seasoning is good in Moroccan recipes, especially if you incorporate some or all of the other ingredients in the same dish. It's also an excellent condiment when you've made something and just want to add a little more 'zing' to it!

Makes about 1/3 cup

2 tbsp dried chilli flakes
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
2 tsp garlic granules
1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp cayenne (see Note)

Method:

• Toast the cumin, coriander, and caraway seeds on a dry pan over low-medium heat. Toast only until they are fragrant.
• Remove the seeds from the heat and, once they are cold, add to a blender with the garlic and grind to a powder. Alternatively pound them using a pestle and pestle.
• Transfer the powder to a bowl and add the smoked paprika. Mix thoroughly.
  

Store in an air tight container.

Note:

• We all have different ideas of what constitutes ‛hot’, and you can’t realistically taste the blend until you use it, because the spices are essentially raw. However, if you find it a bit bland, add ½ tsp cayenne. Next time you make it, either add the cayenne at the time or some more chilli flakes.

Lentil and mushroom pâté

 

 

I’ve adapted this recipe from one of Rose Elliot’s creations. Most people are pleasantly surprised at the flavour and after a tentative spoonful, come back greedily for more. In fact, I like it so much that I usually make double the amount in the hope of having some left over the next day. All too often, I don’t!

Serves 4

 

1/2 cup whole lentils

1 cup water

4 button mushrooms

2 garlic cloves

2 tbsp butter OR olive oil

1 tsp green peppercorns

1/2 tsp tarragon

1/4 tsp dill or fennel seed

1 tbsp lemon juice

salt

parsley 

Method:

• Cook the lentils for 12 minutes in the pressure cooker and allow the pressure to reduce naturally. Beat them vigorously with a cook’s spoon until they have become a purée.
• Meanwhile melt the butter in a small saucepan. If you have no butter, use olive oil, but the butter gives a richer flavour. 
• Dice the mushrooms and garlic and cook for a few minutes, until they’re softened.
• Add these to the lentils and mix well.
• Crush the peppercorns in a mortar or with the back of a spoon. Add to the lentil mixture, along with the herbs and lemon juice. Mix again and add salt to taste.
• Scrape into a crockery bowl, smooth over the top and garnish with some parsley, if you have such a thing.

Variations:

• For an elegant presentation, pour a little melted butter over the pâté.
• If you have no mushrooms, add 1/4 cup chopped or ground walnuts, which work surprisingly well.
• Use any fresh herbs instead of the dried, if you have them.

Lentil spread

This is a simple, basic spread for when you want something for sandwiches or crackers and have nothing more special to hand. Like most basic recipes, it’s capable of many variations. This can also be used as a filling for a pasty.

Serves 4 

 

1tbsp olive oil

1 small onion

1 garlic clove

1/ 2 cup split red lentils

1 cup water

1/2 tsp sage

2 tsp lemon juice

salt and pepper

Method:

• Heat the oil in a small saucepan and dice the onion and garlic.
• Add them to the pan and cook until softened – about five minutes.
• Add the lentils, stirring them until they’re covered in oil, and then add the water.
• Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 – 25 minutes until all the water is absorbed.
• Remove from the heat and beat in the sage and lemon juice until you get a smooth purée. Season with salt and pepper and allow to cool.

Variations:

• Substitute cumin for the sage.
• Leave out the sage and add 1 tsp curry paste.
• Beat in 1/2 cup of finely grated cheese, while the mixture is still warm.
• Add some hot sauce to the mix.
• Add 1 tbsp tomato purée and try various other herbs.
• Add a little chopped, fresh ginger with the onion and garlic.
• Add half a diced green pepper with the onion and garlic.
• If you have some fresh mushrooms, add three or four of these with the onion and garlic.