Most of the year it’s a challenge to come up with a weekly meal plan, but this time of year I don’t seem to have any problem creating something delicious when we have so much coming out of our gardens. While we have been enjoying a lot of crookneck squash and zucchini, I’m kind of burned out on these gourd-geous beauties for the time being and shifting my attention to the tomatoes and cucumbers coming on strong now. This dreamy, creamy platter of hummus is decorated with a simple salad of sumac roasted garbanzos and diced tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion. Scooping up all of these fresh flavors on grilled pita with a rich, creamy spread is a meal in itself. But serving this alongside grilled chicken or lamb, chilled or warm bowls of soup or even an additional salad like tabouleh would kick It up a notch. Gold star for a meal well planned.
INGREDIENTS
For the Sumac Roasted Garbanzos
- (1) 15 oz can organic garbanzo beans, drained and patted dry
- 1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1-1/2 tsp sumac
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
For the Hummus
- (2) 15 oz cans organic garbanzo beans, drained (reserve 1/2 cup of garbanzo bean liquid)
- 1/2 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil (plus more for drizzling)
- !/2 – 3/4 C good fresh tahini (ratio depends on your taste – more tahini may require more liquid)
- 1/4 C fresh lemon juice
- 4 cloves fresh garlic (approximately 2 heaping tablespoons)
- 1-1/2 tsps toasted ground cumin
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 – 1/2 C garbanzo bean liquid (start with a 1/4 C and add more as needed for creaminess)
- Sumac
For the Tomato Cucumber Confetti
- (2-3) ripe organic tomatoes, diced (approximately 2 cups)
- (2) organic English cucumbers (or other cucumber), peel on, diced (approximately 2-1/2 cups)
- (1) red onion, finely diced (approximately 1/2 cup)
- 1/4 C organic Italian parsley, chopped
- 1/4 C organic mint, chopped
- 2 T fresh lemon juice
- 1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- sliced lemons
- Grilled pita triangles (for scooping)
Set oven temperature to 450. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Pour drained, towel-dried garbanzos onto parchment and toss with olive oil, sumac and salt until well coated. Place in oven and roast for 15 minutes or until golden and they have a slight bite. Set aside to cool until hummus and other salad ingredients are done.
In a food processor, add drained garbanzos, olive oil 1/2 cup tahini (you can add more after tasting), lemon juice, garlic, cumin and salt. Pulse a few times to blend. With processor on, slowly add 1/4 cup of the garbanzo liquid. Turn off processor and sample for flavor and creaminess. If you need to add more tahini, lemon juice, salt or liquid, you can add small amounts until you reach your desired flavor and texture.
In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the tomato cucumber confetti. When roasted garbanzos are cool, add them into the mixture and toss well.
To “platter up”, spread hummus out to the edges of your platter. With the edge of a spoon swirl hummus around so there are small “wells” in the spread where you can nestle in the salad and drizzle olive oil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sumac. Top hummus with garbanzo bean, tomato cucumber confetti and garnish with sliced lemons and grilled pita triangles.