I’m positively obsessed with mid-century modern (MCM) everything. I think we have Mad Men to thank for the revival of this modern design aesthetic in furniture, fashion and design in recent years. Nearly all of my housewares, from couches to artwork, has a serious MCM persuasion.
It’s no surprise then that when I’m sourcing tableware (always with the blog in mind) I’m on the lookout for high-style pieces from the 1950s and 1960s. I found this chips and dip serving platter at an antique store in Almonte last summer. I love the clean lines of this design and the rich colour of the teak platter. The steel bowl is the perfect depth that lets you easily heap your pita chip with dip, without having to get knuckle-deep in the hummus.
While I am enamoured with many aspects of the golden days of the post-war era, the cuisine is not one of them. Jello salads and microwave dinners are a “Hell no” in my book. I’m pretty sure hummus wasn’t a go-to starter back in the ’50s but it’s certainly exploded in popularity in North America in recent years.
I wanted to share this hummus recipe because I felt the blog was seriously lacking in snack content. Also, I’m on a mission to see people stop buying store-bought hummus. It is painfully easy to whip up at home, assuming you have a working food processor (I recently bought this version from Breville and I’m obsessed), and tastes way better than what you can find at your local SuperStore. Plus, the cost per portion is much lower when you make it from scratch.
I like to experiment with different roasted vegetables in hummus. Roasted beets add a beautiful colour and earthy flavour. Roasted red pepper adds a touch of sweetness and warmth. In this recipe I used carrots and built flavour with a selection of spices, homemade honey-roasted peanuts and a spicy adobo harissa.
The finished product is a flavourful hummus with a creamy texture that is enhanced by a kick of heat, a touch of sweetness and a hint of crunch.
Carrot and Peanut Hummus with Pita Chips
This Carrot and Peanut Hummus with Pita Chips is the ideal healthy snack to fend off mid-afternoon hunger pangs. It's way more delicious than store-bought.
- 1 tbsp caraway seeds
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 6 tbsp olive oil divided, plus more for drizzling
- ½ lb carrots chopped
- Kosher salt freshly ground pepper
- 1 15- oz can chickpeas drained
- 2 garlic cloves finely grated
- ½ cup carrot juice or water
- ¼ cup natural smooth peanut butter
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp tahini
- ¼ cup unsalted roasted peanuts
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo plus 2 tbsp adobo sauce
- 6 pitas
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
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Toast caraway and coriander seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, swirling pan often and adding cumin seeds during the last 30 seconds of cooking, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool, then grind finely in spice mill or with mortar and pestle.
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Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a medium saucepan over medium. Add carrots, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender, 6–8 minutes. Add chickpeas and one-third of the spice mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are completely tender, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
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Transfer carrot mixture to a blender and add garlic, carrot juice, peanut butter, lemon juice, tahini, and 4 Tbsp. oil; blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
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Toast peanuts in a small skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add honey and half of the remaining spice mixture; cook, stirring, until honey is caramelized and darker in color and pan is mostly dry, 5–8 minutes. Transfer peanut mixture to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, spread in a single layer, and let cool. Coarsely chop.
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Meanwhile, blend chiles and adobo with remaining spice mixture in blender until smooth, adding water as necessary to thin. Serve hummus with adobo harissa dolloped in the center; sprinkle with peanuts. Drizzle with oil.
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine olive oil and spices in a small bowl. Cut each pita into 8 wedges (like a pizza). Separate top half of pita from bottom half - each wedge should yield two pita chips. Brush tops of pita chips with oil and spice mix. Bake in preheated oven for 5-7 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
Carrot and Peanut Hummus Recipe adapted from "Carrot Hummus." Bon Appetit. July 2016.
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