Homemade Hummus

I was asked to bring hummus to a dinner party a week ago. I have never made it, but thought it looked like something fun to try. I also love restaurant hummus- the kind that is really smooth and garlicky, so I thought I would try to replicate that with my cuisinart (if you want to make really chunky hummus, you can use a potato masher to do it but I think it is much easier in a food processor). I did some research and eventually combined several recipes and added some of my own touches after tasting it. The result was absolutely delicious, and there was hardly any left! I made an incredibly large bath, but feel free to halve it if you aren't serving an army. I bought fresh pitas from a local Mediterranean restaurant, but store bought are equally as good if you put them in the oven for a couple of minutes to warm them up beforehand. Notes: I made my hummus pretty garlicky which everyone seemed to love. If you are planning on making out later in the evening, feel free to lessen the amount.

Hummus

Ingredients:
-8 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
-4 cans of chickpeas, drained with the liquid reserved
-3/4 cup tahini paste (this is Middle Eastern sesame paste that can be found in your local grocery store- ask where it is when you are there)
-salt, to taste, about 2 tbs
-2 tbs hot sauce
-1 tbs paprika
-3 tbs olive oil
-1-2 tbs lemon juice, the juice of about 1/2 a lemon

Directions:
-Put garlic in the food processor until it is very finely chopped.
-Add the chickpeas and process until those are finely chopped.
-Add the tahini paste and process until it is mixed in.
-Add liquid from the cans of chickpeas until the hummus is the consistency you would like. I added about 1 cup.
-Add the paprika, hot sauce, olive oil, salt, and lemon juice. Process until mixed in.
-Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.
-Serve with pitas and assorted fresh vegetables.

Grilled Halibut with Marinated Tomatoes and Grilled Pita

This is a great summer recipe. Light, fresh, and full of flavor- perfect for this spring weather. I grilled the fish and the pitas, but you could just as easily do both in the broiler if you don't have access to a grill or have run out of propane (a constant problem over here until I accidentally ended up with 3 full tanks). I served each piece of fish with a spoonful of tomatoes on top, and the pitas and an arugula salad on the side. It was a lovely presentation and looked beautiful on the plate. It also looks pretty on a larger platter, served family style (pictured). Everything can be prepared in advance so that you can enjoy spending time with your guests. The first thing you need to make is the lemon vinaigrette dressing that you will use to marinate the fish and tomatoes, and to dress the arugula salad. 

Lemon Vinaigrette (I like to double this recipe and keep a jar in the fridge for later use)

Whisk together:

-The juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbs)

-1/3 cup olive oil

-1 tbs fresh chopped garlic, 2-3 cloves (or chopped garlic from a jar which is what I used)

-1/2 tsp salt

-1 tsp pepper

Halibut

Ingredients:

-1 lb filet of halibut (This serves 2-3 people. Adjust if you have more.)

-1 tsp each of salt and pepper

-1/4 cup lemon vinaigrette

Directions:

-Salt and pepper the fish. Pour the marinade on top and make sure all sides of the filet are coated. Marinate for at least 20-30 minutes.

-Grill for about 15 minutes, skin side down, or until fish flakes apart easily.

Marinated Tomatoes

Ingredients:

-2 fresh tomatoes, diced

-1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (or 1 tbs dried)

-1 tbs capers

-1-2 tbs lemon vinaigrette dressing

-salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

-Toss tomatoes with basil and capers.

-Add dressing and salt and pepper to taste.

-The tomatoes with give off a lot of juice; I poured it out and served only the tomatoes, but if you want to drizzle some of the marinated tomato juice on the fish that is great as well.

Grilled Pitas

Ingredients:

-2-3 pieces of pita bread

-1/4 cup olive oil

-1 clove fresh garlic, cut in half

Directions:

-Brush both sides of each pita with olive oil.

-Grill pitas for 1-2 minutes on each side, until slightly crispy (don't burn them, I made this mistake)

-Rub the hot pitas with the garlic on each side. Slice in half or thirds.

Arugula Salad

Toss 1/2 container of arugula with 2-3 tbs of lemon vinaigrette, right before serving.

 

Watermelon and Feta Salad

In honor of a good friend's trip to DC, a group of my friends decided to have a Greek themed dinner party. It was not at my house, but I was tasked with bringing a few items to the event. One of the sides I decided to make is something I have been wanting to try out for quite some time- a watermelon, feta, and mint salad. I love watermelon and to serve it in a savory way is not anything new in the food world, but certainly new to me. It was, of course, incredibly easy to assemble and took about 15 minutes. If there wasn't already going to be a green salad at the event, I would have probably served it on a bed of arugula which is something you might want to try if you make this at home. I am sure it would be delicious with any dressing, but I chose to make a balsamic reduction which was incredibly easy. The sweetness of the watermelon, combined with the saltiness and bite of the feta cheese and olives, and the flavors of the mint and onion all blend together to make a really refreshing, complex plate. So glad that spring is finally here!

Watermelon and Feta Salad

Ingredients:
-1/4 of a whole watermelon, or a container of cubed watermelon
-1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
-1 small container of crumbled feta cheese, about 3/4 cup
-1/4 c pitted kalamata olives, drained
-1/4 c fresh, chopped mint
-fresh cracked pepper and salt, to taste
-1/4 c balsamic reduction (Boil 1 cup of balsamic vinegar until it is reduced to 1/4 cup- super easy and tasty)

Directions:
-Slice the watermelon and arrange on a platter (the one you see in the photos is an aluminum tray since I am transporting this elsewhere)
-Slice the onion into thin, long half circle slices. Sprinkle on top of the watermelon.
-Sprinkle the container of feta or about 3/4 cup on top of the onions, followed by the olives and mint.
-Give a good sprinkling of pepper and a little bit of salt to the dish.
-Drizzle the balsamic over everything and serve.