I do love hummus but am tired of the highly processed commercial hummus varieties in the grocery store with their repetitive boring flavors. I have for a few years now started making my own hummus and have learned the difference between the commercial hummus and a wonderful home-made hummus.
This recipe takes hummus to the next level. The hummus itself is beautifully flavored with the hint of harissa and the roasted carrots. it is paired with the yogurt sauce and the amazing harissa roasted carrots. I chose to serve it with wide flat crackers so folks could load all three components on it. You can aslo use pita bread, lettuce leaves and crudités, or bread. enjoyed together, the hummus is soft and gentle, the yogurt adds a lovely creaminess and spice and the roasted tomatoes add that pop of tart sweetness. Watch out your guests will fill up on this appetizer fast.
This recipe is from, Diana Henry, one of my favorite chefs. I have every one of her cookbooks, they are my go to books in my collection for every occasion, from fun appetizers, like this one, to more elaborate cooking from around the world. Everyone should have all her cookbooks.
For more recipes from this book click here.
Photo credit Nisha Bilgrami
Ingredients:
For the hummus:
1/2 cup chickpeas
1 garlic clove, sliced
1/2 bay leaf
Salt, to taste
6 cups water
OR
1 can chickpeas
9 oz carrots, sliced
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon harissa paste
2-3 tablespoons tahini
Juice of 1/2 lime + to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon harissa paste
For the harissa yogurt:
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon harissa paste
For the roasted tomatoes:
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons harissa paste
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper
To serve:
Crudités of your choice with cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, radishes, cauliflower, celery or other vegetables.
Crackers
Pita bread or Mediterranean bread of your choice
Heat the oven on Convect grill function or on convection function at 375 F.
To make the hummus:
Pressure cook or Instapot the chickpeas, garlic, bay leaf and salt with water till the chickpeas are very soft. Cool and drain saving he cooking water. Discard the bay leaf but keep the garlic. Alternatively, use a can of chickpeas but the result will be a bit bland.
While the chickpeas are cooking, toss the carrots with the olive oil, salt, pepper and harissa. Layer on a lined baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes till charred. Remove and cool.
Mix the cooked chickpeas, carrots with juices, tahini, lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper in a small blender. Add some of the chickpea cooking liquid, a little at a time as you want a thick purée. Purée to the consistency you like, some folks like it smooth and some like it a bit chunky. Taste and adjust salt and harissa for spice. Set aside at room temperature if serving the dish on the same day. It will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To make the harissa yogurt: Add the yogurt to a bowl and top with the harissa. You can leave it like this for a nice presentation, or mix in. Store in the fridge till needed.
To make the roasted tomatoes: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and layer on a line baking sheet with the cut side of the tomatoes facing up. Bake for 20-25 minutes till the tomatoes have shriveled up and are charred in spots. Remove and cool and transfer to a bowl collecting all the juices. Set aside at room temperature if serving the dish on the same day. It will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Serve the hummus and the roasted tomatoes at room temperature, alongside the chilled yogurt and as many of the breads, crackers and vegetables as you like. Encourage your guests to enjoy the dish with all components together. Most guests will only dip in a single sauce at a time, but this dish really shines if all of them are enjoyed together.
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