This week I had the honor of leading a hands-on cooking class for 40+ amazing women at Municipal Winemakers, as part of a monthly women's group in Santa Barbara, aptly called Rad Night.
Founded by Paola Pereira and Kendall Klein, Rad Night is an opportunity for women in Santa Barbara to come together who might not otherwise meet, and each month women gather, drink wine, and learn + create something together. The theme of the evening was "create + eat like a farmer" and we gave tons of tips for sourcing local produce, and taught everyone how to make compound herb butters and homemade vinaigrettes. I was assisted by my dear friend and fellow chef, Aiyana Sage Thoma, who crafted a most beautiful vegetable platter for all of the ladies to enjoy (See exhibit A below):
To accompany this cornucopia of farmers' market veggies at the Rad Night event, I made three different kinds of hummus: Traditional, Beet, and Moroccan Carrot. Each hummus had it's own distinct coloring + flavor, and I loved exploring new and delicious riffs on an old favorite. Needless to say, the hummus was a hit and I've had several requests for the recipes... so here they are!
PS - For all my Santa Barbara based friends, I'm teaching an another hands-on cooking class at Municipal Winemakers next Thursday, August 11th @ 7-9pm! Join us to learn some knife skills, herb butters, and salad dressings // tickets are $35 and include a glass of wine + delicious handmade goodies to take home. To save your spot (space is limited!), get your tickets HERE.
TRADITIONAL HUMMUS
1 clove garlic
1 can chickpeas | drained
Juice of two lemons (about 1/2 cup)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
First process the garlic to a fine mince in your food processor. Next, add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth -the longer you allow the mixture to process, the creamier your hummus will be. Adjust seasonings as needed. Sprinkle with more paprika and serve.
BEET HUMMUS
Recipe adapted from Andrea Bemis, from the blog Dishing Up the Dirt.
1 very large beet (or 2-3 small beets)
1 15 oz can chickpeas | drained and rinsed
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Juice from 1 large lemon
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
In a saucepan cover beets with water and simmer until tender (about 30 minutes). Once beets are cooked place them in a food processor with all other ingredients and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. If mixture is too thick add a little more oil.
MOROCCAN CARROT HUMMUS
Recipe adapted from Andrea Bemis, from the blog Dishing Up the Dirt.
1 pound carrots | chopped into 1-inch chunks
3 whole cloves of garlic | peels left on
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil | divided
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas | rinsed and drained if from a can
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup water + more to thin if necessary
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Fresh cilantro, minced, to serve
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss the chopped carrots and whole garlic cloves with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Scatter evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment and roast in the oven until the carrots are tender and lightly browned, 18 to 20 minutes. Toss carrots halfway through cooking. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the garlic cloves out of their peels.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine roasted carrots, roasted garlic, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, water and all of the spices. With the motor running drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Whirl away until smooth, scraping the sides down as necessary. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. If the hummus is too thick, add a little more water or oil and process until desired consistency is achieved.