the whole plate. » hummus

an apple a day.

leslie — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:30:59 +0000

I hope everyone’s Wednesday is going well! First up today, I’d like to introduce a new venture of mine. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I spent my first year out of college living and working in Prague, partially assisting on a magazine launch, partially teaching English. I’ll now be writing weekly about my experiences over there for GoBackpacking.com, and I’d love if you’d check out my introductory post! Click here for more. And now, back to food.

When I first began to eat fruit, I would always slice it, arrange it on a plate, and eat it piece by piece. Grabbing an apple in a rush was impossible; there had to be cutting boards, sharp knives, and small plates involved. Feel free to view this as either compulsive or refined; I can’t decide between the two.

apple and hummus sandwich

Consequently, I can remember rather clearly the first time I took a bite straight out of an apple. Its sweetness was not new to me, and yet for a moment, an unexpected thought surfaced: how would it taste?

peanut butter applesauce [steamed apple, peanut butter, honey]

Texture has always influenced my perception of flavor. Back in my bland, pasta-eating days, I was partial to angel hair or elbow – any other variety altered the pasta’s taste too much. Though my mother protested that the ingredients were the same regardless of shape, my rigid teenage tastebuds refused to be convinced.

curried pumpkin apple soup

I suppose those memories returned when I was on a train through Switzerland, staring down a ruby Jonagold. That first juicy bite certainly lacked the elegance of uniform, cinnamon-dusted slices, but it wasn’t missing the flavor. Though I’ve got an affinity for artistically presented food, a messy, plateless snack can easily be just as delicious.

And since then, I’ve started to find something wonderful about a bite taken out of an apple. Artistic in that imperfect way, healthy in that simple way, and perfectly appropriate for this season. When I’m not busy throwing slices into recipes, sinking my teeth into a sweet Fuji is fast becoming my ideal November snack.

Do you remember your first apple?

lazy girls night in.

leslie — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:25:55 +0000

Last night, I had a quiet Friday evening in with a good friend for a wallet-friendly home-cooked meal. When she arrived, however, neither of us were particularly hungry, so we postponed meal preparation in favor of uncorking some riesling.

Wine and conversation can be very distracting: two hours later, we realized dinner was a necessity, and my original elaborate plans were abandoned (seems to be a recent trend…) for a more effortless spread.

My remaining too-expensive heirloom tomatoes were on their last moments, so we decided to roast them, along with some eggplant and a generous sprinkle of olive oil. I love when vegetables act as the star of a meal; often when I consider cooking possibilities, I choose the vegetables first, then work in other components as complements.

Yesterday that meant an easy side, which included:

1/2 c bulgur (uncooked)
1/4 c hummus
1/4 c crumbled feta
2 c baby spinach

After cooking the bulgur, I stirred in the remaining ingredients until the spinach wilted. Along with the roasted vegetables and fresh basil:

Is there a way I can justify shelling out another exorbitant $3.99/lb for more heirlooms next week?

What stars in your meals? Vegetables? Bread? Peanut butter?

hummamole.

leslie — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:57:31 +0000

Remember when I used to cook?

After a wonderful weekend, which included a repeat visit to my new favorite play, it felt so right to finally prepare a real meal tonight. As we’re currently enduring a wave of heat and humidity (no complaints from this 90 degree lover), I didn’t want to touch the oven or stove. So, I pulled out my favorite new best friend, the food processor.

I’ve wanted to whip together my own hummus since I got the machine, but I’m also making up for an unfortunate two week avocado break due to vacation. And then I thought, well, why not combine the two?

hummamole (or guacammus, if you prefer)

2 c cooked chickpeas (or 1 15 oz can)
1 avocado
2 T tahini
3 sun dried tomatoes
juice of 1 lime
1/2 T agave
1 T chili powder
1/4 c (or more) cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
1 tomato, chopped

Grind chickpeas in food processor. Add tahini and sun dried tomatoes; blend with chickpeas. Add avocado, blend again. Add lime juice, agave, chili powder, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Blend again. Remove from food processor; stir in tomato and more cilantro, if desired.

I’m currently without any pita or cracker, so I served it in my favorite way to enjoy hummus or guacamole: on a big chopped salad. Hummus and guac are my salad dressings of choice; hummamole was a worthy stand-in.

Alongside roadside sweet corn on the cob. This was very, very, very yummy.

If you had to choose, would you go for hummus or guac?

awkward mezze.

leslie — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:17:19 +0000

Last year, I visited a Middle Eastern restaurant in Prague with my close friend and travel partner, who was about to depart back to the states. Perhaps it would have been more appropriate to send her off with a classic Czech meal, but being vegan, there wasn’t a single Czech dish she could eat. Plus, the traditional cuisine is – well, “not my favorite” would be putting it kindly.

raw baba ganouj (eggplant, tahini, cumin, lemon juice, garlic, salt)

My culinary experiences in Turkey and Israel provided me with an introduction to the brilliance of Mediterranean flavors. I was struck most by how clean the the tastes were – liberal use of olive oil was often the only flavor needed to enhance the chosen ingredients. I’ve particularly enjoyed recreating many traditional dishes in my own kitchen – with my own spin, of course.

roasted peppers and zucchini with evoo

Back in Prague, landlocked as we were, my friend and I decided to send her off with a tasting journey to the south. On our trip together to Istanbul, we had received many complimentary mezze plates, attributed to “Turkish hospitality.” [Although, it was likely due equally to fascination with two young women traveling alone, and my friend's blonde hair]. After much debate at our Czech location, we chose a vegetarian mezze platter, taking us back to those opportunities to sample bites of many dishes.

hummus and pita

If only I had been a food blogger then, I could have drawn even more attention to us with a photograph. When the waiter appeared, every eye in the restaurant turned on us, as we sat back in our chairs and aided the server in pushing the salt and pepper shakers to the table’s edge. The platter was so monstrously-sized that it spanned a greater length than the table provided. Overwhelming, to say the least.

quinoa basil “tabbouleh” (quinoa, cucumber, tomato, basil, lemon juice, garlic)

Over a long dining experience, we nibbled and tasted, working our way through marinated vegetables, falafel balls and dolmas, dips of hummus and baba ganouj, bowls of tabbouleh, wedges of warm pita. With olive oil and garlic seeping through our veins, we were certainly well fed. Awkward as it may have been, it is one dining experience I won’t soon forget.

Have you ever received something unexpected in a restaurant?

portobellos + cooking for two.

leslie — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:52:53 +0000

As my cooking skills have developed, I’ve come to truly enjoy preparing dishes for others. Where I view cooking to be a relaxing, therapeutic process, I know many who find it taxing and stress-inducing. My sister (and roommate) is one of those people. Most evenings, I offer her a description of the dish I’m dreaming up, and I let her decide if I should make enough for two. Summer rolls? Thumbs up. Serious salad? Not so much. To each her own, right?

Tonight, after providing an account of what I planned to cook, I was greeted with the demand request, “I want that. I am so having some of that. I am so having a lot of that. On my plate!”

We have a good relationship. :)

hummus stuffed portobello mushrooms (makes 2)

2 portobello mushrooms
evoo
1/4 c hummus
1 clove garlic, minced
1 roma tomato, diced
2 T fresh oregano
1/4 t ground black pepper
1-2 T pine nuts

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly coat mushrooms with olive oil and roast, stem side up, for 10 minutes. Mix together hummus, garlic, tomato, oregano, and pepper. Pour mixture into mushrooms. Roast 10 more minutes. Garnish with pine nuts.

Served on a bed of baby spinach, bulgur (cooked in vegetable broth), and chickpeas.

Do you enjoy cooking for others?

alternative hummus.

leslie — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:35:32 +0000

I hope everyone enjoyed their fourth, if you were celebrating! Mine began peacefully with some of this:

And ended on a less tranquil note with some of these:

It’s all about balance.

After journeying on a packed train back to the city (in the company of apparently every other inhabitant of the island), I was craving something hearty, but not heavy for dinner.

I visited with a close friend this weekend who currently lives in Dubai, and we spent a bit of time discussing how incredible hummus tastes when enjoyed in its native region. I remember eating hummus in Israel and proclaiming I would never be able to eat it back home again – it was just that good. Still, I’ve wanted to make my own for quite some time. At the moment I am without chickpeas or a food processor, so the traditional kind was out.

With only a blender to work its magic, I chose lentils as the base, assuming they would blend easily. Plus, they fulfilled my yen for “hearty-not-heavy.”

lentil hummus

1/4 c dry lentils
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T lemon juice
1 T tahini
1 t evoo
5 fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Cook lentils until soft, about 20-25 minutes. Drain and place in blender with other ingredients. Blend well. Refrigerate minimum one hour.

I wasn’t sure how this would turn out, so I made the recipe small. But, I’m sure it could be easily doubled or quadrupled for a heftier, longer-lasting amount.

I enjoyed all that I made with dipping utensils: swag bread, crackers, raw zucchini, carrots, and broccoli.

How did you spend your fourth?

snacktime.

leslie — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:39:18 +0000

Growing up, snacks were a key part of my day. I remember taking snack breaks on elementary school mornings, munching on the Smartfood cheddar popcorn dutifully packed by my mom. I loved a thick slice of bakery challah as an after school snack, and I often enjoyed a hearty scoop of chocolate ice cream for dessert.

I can’t exactly recall when or why snacktime exited my life.

Perhaps it was when school became serious. I was a conscientious overachiever who spent 5 hours a day on middle school homework. I’m sure I spent more of my seventh grade experience reading my social studies textbook and listening to ‘N Sync than thinking about what to eat.

Perhaps it was when money took a front seat. I spent several summers on my feet with my lips curved up in a permanent smile as a waitress, saving up tips for European travel. I worked during “meal times” and ate during “snack times.” I can’t remember thinking much of it; I simply ate when I could.

Maybe it was college. Snacks seemed only to have associations such as “freshman fifteen” or “alcohol-induced.”

There was an unfortunate time where I thought the only acceptable snacks were raw vegetables or fruit. Thankfully, today I look at my snacks as mini meals designed to keep my energy up throughout the day.

Plus, they taste good.

How often do you snack?