A New Twist on Summer (and Hummus)

As we dive deeper into the long and lazy days of another summer, my normal routine is to focus on preparing cold foods to fight the torrid heat. Or at least that was the way it was when we lived in Texas. Friends there have already been complaining that the triple digits arrived a bit too early and reached 106 degrees last week, and they continue to sweat it out at 102+ degrees this week.

Now that we are (gratefully) living at 7200 feet above sea level and nestled at the foothill of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, it’s more about room temperature foods to quell our hunger and nourish our spirits. I made hummus for a pre-Memorial Day get together at our house, along with guacamole, tomatillo-poblano salsa and David grilled some sausages, all of which were consumed by our guests who, fortunately, arrived hungry for some hearty snacks, belly laughs, a beautiful sunset and genuine heartfelt camaraderie on this special occasion.

Healthy Group Snacks

But this wasn’t the traditional chickpea hummus I made. The ubiquity of hummus and the ever-growing demand for our new favorite good + good for you snack and appetizer has challenged many culinarians to get creative with this Mediterranean staple and use tahini, ground sesame seeds, as a canvas for whatever you want to add to it.

In place of or in addition to the traditional chickpeas, you can use a variety of root vegetables, peas and eggplant and this change kind of makes hummus new all over again. Sweet potato, beets, eggplant (which becomes my favorite baba ganoush), carrot, edamame and the list of ideas for making “hummus” goes on.

Lots of chefs and cooks are also turning to different beans to give hummus a new twist. Today, assorted varieties of hummus brands and flavors line the grocery shelves for those who don’t want to turn on a blender or food processor. Yes, hummus from the store is good, but homemade hummus is great, and who doesn’t want great?

Cannellini Beans for a Change

For the soiree, I went with cannellini beans for a welcome change. The inherent creaminess of these Italian beans makes for an ethereally smooth hummus and the mild flavor means you can serve it with kicked-up crackers for an added punch and layer of flavor.

At the end of the gathering, all that was left of the hummus was one tablespoon. David looked at me and asked, “You will make that again, right?”

Of course, I will, honey.

But this time, I took it a step further and followed the smitten kitchen’s advice and topped it with crisp cucumbers and ripe tomatoes for a scrumptious, hearty people-pleasing dish.

Serve with toasted pita bread and something cold and refreshing like this or this and let summer begin.

Buen provecho!

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Cannellini Bean Hummus with Tomatoes and Cucumbers

If you love hummus but need a new spin on a classic, cannellini beans are a great replacement for chickpeas. They add richness and a creamy texture that may convince you cannellini beans make the best hummus. Top the hummus with chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, onion and parsley and now you have a meal. Serve with warm pita bread and have at it.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword hummus

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 4 - 6

Author The Cowgirl Gourmet in Santa Fe was inspired by smitten kitchen

Ingredients

For the hummus

• 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans organic, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1 lemon juiced
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for serving

For the chopped vegetable salad

• 1 1/2 cups cherry or heirloom tomatoes halved for the cherries and diced for the heirloom
• 1 medium cucumber washed and diced
• 1/4 red onion diced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• A few grinds of freshly ground black pepper
• Sumac or za'atar optional
• 1-2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley plus more for garnish
• Drizzle extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

For the hummus

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more lemon juice or oil. Blend again and taste to ensure you have the right balance of flavors.

2. Scrape hummus on a large plate and swirl the hummus with the back of a big spoon to make cavities and nooks. Drizzle it lightly with olive oil.

For the chopped vegetable salad

1. In a bowl, add tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, lemon, salt, pepper and olive oil and toss well. If you have sumac, add about 1/4 teaspoon. 

2. Stir in parsley and then heap on top of hummus, draining any tomato liquid that may have settled into the bowl, prior to topping the hummus.
   

3. Arrange pita wedges and finish with additional za'atar, sumac and/or fresh parsley.