Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

I think I’ve mentioned before that many years ago, I could get the most delicious hummus from a little hole-in-the-wall on K Street in DC. It was made by a cheerful Middle-Eastern woman working there with all her little children around her, who served it with a perfect soft white flatbread; and was the silkiest, most garlicky and addictive Wonderfulness in the world of Hummus.

I’ve been wanting to try Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe, because it seemed as if it might be very like the K St. version, and this weekend I had time to try. It turned out very, very good – even if my attempt didn’t quite measure up to what I remember from my days in DC.

Below are the Wiki on Hummus, and a link to the recipe from 'Serious Eats' that I used. A couple of tips: there is a LOT of Tahini in this recipe, and the taste is going to depend on the quality/brand you use. I used the can that has always been available in my grocery store, but I think next time I’ll try a different brand, to investigate differences. Also, I think we may have used a little too much garlic – you will want to experiment with that. Lastly, I would not add all the salt at once, but add some, taste, adjust.

One of the ‘tricks’ to this seems to be the use of baking soda to break down the chickpeas a little before cooking. I’m not sure how much that helped me – I had very few ‘skins’ rising during the cooking. Also, I may have overcooked the chickpeas, so you want to be careful and test doneness as you go along. It’s a job to make, and will give your food processor a workout (I'm not sure mine was really up to the job of producing the silkiest product); but the result is really good and worth the effort:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummus

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/11/basic-hummus-from-jerusalem-ottolenghi.html

I recently discovered another YouTube cooking channel: Kendall Lawrence of ‘Head Chef Mom’. She has a recipe for ‘Amish Onion Patties’ - an alternative to onion rings that looks wonderful. I like her videos because she is a very good presenter and explains what she’s doing very clearly. You can find lots of recipes for these little fritters, but her difference is to use Panko instead of corn meal:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k8sRfxoFMo

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

I’ve never used one, but perhaps someone else has?

We have this inexpensive little electric ‘Presto’ fryer-steamer pot that we’ve used for many years. It’s non-stick, and when we finish, we just get a big funnel and put the oil back in the bottle it came in; wipe out the pot and then wash the inside with some soapy water. We don’t do a lot of deep frying - maybe a few times per year - and it’s not much cleanup. I’d like to have a fancier one, and they’re probably useful if you fry a lot; but I can’t conscience the cost given the frequency with which we use it - and I can’t imagine that the more ‘quality’ ones would be easier to clean up.

The secret to deep frying is to make sure your oil is up to temperature and stays there. This way, the food actually sucks up a minimum of oil, because it’s done fast.

[Jamestown1630]

I’d love to have it!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I never even add the PB or the Tahini when I make it, but I do add a tsp. of Sea Salt.

I love the stuff!

Beau? Not so much, as with anything ‘Mexican.’ I make that for myself when he’s off hunting. He would NEVER entertain M.E. dishes. A stir-fry is as far as he goes - as long as it’s rabbit, squirrel or roadkill. Oy!

Good thing Bear (Dog Training) Season is right around the corner - because I’m wantin’ me some ‘Fun Food’ around here these days!

Beau: ‘Meat. Preferably grilled. On a stick. Over an open flame. Potatoes. MAYBE a vegetable...if I HAVE to!’

Though he IS really fond of the salads I throw together, so there’s that. ;)

[lizma2]

For dinner I had fish tacos with this dressing

http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2012/05/cafe-rios-creamy-tomatillo-dressing.html

and now I’m hungry again!

[Fungi]

See Freep mail.

[Liz]

In deference to your D/H....best to experiment w/ honeys used for pizza. The pedestrian supermarket honsy ...... maybe not.

[mylife]

Is it a state secret? ☺

[Fungi]

OK, here it is.
The real secret to great hummus is the chickpeas should be extruded through a large steel sieve, not made with a food processor. But since that takes too much work, a food processor is used. Here is the recipe;
Hummus by Mom
Ingredients: one cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight. 5-6 tablespoons Tahini, 6-lg cloves garlic, juice of one large lemon, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoon salt, chickpea cooking water.
Method: soak chickpeas overnight and then some. Cook over low heat until they simmer while skimming off white scum. Do not allow to boil. Cook until tender, at least one hour, cover and let stand for another hour. Drain chickpeas, saving cooking water. Place half in food processor, then add half of all other ingredients, use a garlic press to add the garlic. Process adding saved cooking water to desired consistency. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Adjust seasoning and refrigerate overnight before serving. Serve garnished with a light dusting of paprika and a “float’ of olive oil in the middle.

[mylife]

Thank you.
Handmade always tastes better for the love in it.

[Jamestown1630]

I’ll run it past him.

To give him credit, he is willing to be experimental; but pretty hidebound when it comes to his childhood comfort food. He’s still trying to find down here, the kind of Perfect Pizza that he enjoyed in his small PA hometown - where all you had was ‘mom-and-pops’ and no chains that delivered. I remember that kind of pizza, too :-)

[mylife]

My childhood friends Mom was from Lebanon, Dad was from Sicily.
The kitchen never stopped.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“...but then again this is the government.”

Of course! Tahini for ME, but not for THEE!

*SMIRK*

Enjoy your Government provided Peanut Butter and Cheese, Serfs. ;)

[Fungi]

Middle eastern mothers cook with love and pride.

[mylife]

Oh my yes

[Jamestown1630]

Oh, Damn. I thought it was going to be Our Secret :-)

I’m looking forward to trying it.

[mylife]

RIP Desert and the Whopper

[Trillian]

That looks sooooo crispy! Droooool

[MV=PY]

"chickpeas should be extruded through a large steel sieve"

Would a ricer work?

[Fungi]

Never used it but it should. The idea is to not have chickpeas liquified, but merely crushed in very little pieces as with extrusion. I use a steel steamer with very small holes—takes a lot of time but the final consistency is what is desired.

[Jamestown1630]

I don’t think a ricer would work. I think you’d lose a lot of the good stuff, and become very tired trying to salvage ‘gold from dross’.

A medium-mesh wire strainer would be best, with a ‘pestle’ sort of thing to ‘mush’ the stuff around and down through the mesh - but I think it’s not really something that today’s household cooks want to do.

Food processor is your friend :-)