Showing posts with label Dried Tomato Pesto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dried Tomato Pesto. Show all posts

Tomato Pesto Hummus -- with secret ingredient!

This recipe is simply a variation of our Smooth & Creamy Hummus. See that recipe for details describing the techniques to make hummus smooth and creamy. Plus we've added yet another secret addition (step #7) to make this recipe even more smooth and creamy!

Dried Tomato Pesto Hummus
1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh preferred)
6 tablespoons well stirred tahini
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt
3 to 4 large garlic cloves, roasted*
1 teaspoon toasted and ground cumin seeds** (or ¾ tsp. ground cumin)
1 pinch cayenne pepper
The secret ingredient—2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (we prefer olive oil based mayo)
About 3 to 4 tablespoons purchased dried tomato pesto mixed with a drizzle of olive oil
Garnishes:reserved garbanzo beans and flat leaf parsley if desired
  1. Add chickpeas and liquid to a saucepan and heat over medium for 10 minutes. Drain and cool.
  2. Save a few garbanzo beans to use as garnish if desired. Add half of the beans to the work bowl of a food processor and blend, scrape down the sides of processor and grind again; add remaining beans and blend, scrape down the sides of processor and grind again as many times as it takes so that they are chopped.
    After grinding half of the garbanzo beans, I added the rest and continued to blend until the beans were well chopped.
  3. Mix water and lemon juice; add through the feed tube with the processor running for about 1 minute.
  4. Add the tahini and process.
  5. Add the oil, with the processor running, until the hummus is fluffy.
  6. Add the seasonings: salt, roasted garlic, cumin and cayenne.
    Rather than pre-grinding the toasted cumin seeds, I just ground them in the blender. They did not completely turn to powder but were chopped well enough so they did not interfere with the overall texture.
  7. Add the secret ingredient—2 to 3 tablespoons mayo—to make the hummus even more creamy and smooth!
  8. Put the hummus in a serving dish; add dried tomato pesto mixed with a drizzle of olive in and swirl into hummus. Garnish with reserved garbanzo beans and flat leaf parsley if desired. 

*Quick, Toasted Garlic Cloves: Toss four or more cloves with the papery skins still on into a dry pan and toast over medium heat, shaking the pan from time to time, until the skins are charred several places. Let them cool and peel.

**Toasted Cumin Seeds: Toss in a skill and toast over medium heat, shaking and stirring the seeds until fragrant. Grind in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.

Recipe without photos . . .
Dried Tomato Pesto Hummus
1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh preferred)
6 tablespoons well stirred tahini
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt
3 to 4 large garlic cloves, roasted*
1 teaspoon toasted and ground cumin seeds** (or ¾ tsp. ground cumin)
1 pinch cayenne pepper
About 3 to 4 tablespoons purchased dried tomato pesto mixed with a drizzle of olive oil
The secret ingredient—2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (we prefer olive oil based mayo)
Garnishes: reserved garbanzo beans and flat leaf parsley if desired
  1. Add chickpeas and liquid to a saucepan and heat over medium for 10 minutes. Drain and cool.
  2. Save a few garbanzo beans to use as garnish if desired. Add half of the beans to the work bowl of a food processor and blend, scrape down the sides of processor and grind again; add remaining beans and blend, scrape down the sides of processor and grind again as many times as it takes so that they are chopped.
  3. Mix water and lemon juice; add through the feed tube with the processor running for about 1 minute.
  4. Add the tahini and process.
  5. Add the oil, with the processor running, until the hummus is fluffy.
  6. Add the seasonings: salt, roasted garlic, cumin and cayenne.
  7. Add the secret ingredient—2 to 3 tablespoons mayo—to make the hummus even more creamy and smooth!
  8. Put the hummus in a serving dish; add dried tomato pesto mixed with a drizzle of olive in add dried tomato pesto mixed with a drizzle of olive in and swirl into hummus. Garnish with reserved garbanzo beans if desired. 
*Quick, Toasted Garlic Cloves: Toss four or more cloves with the papery skins still on into a dry pan and toast over medium heat, shaking the pan from time to time, until the skins are charred several places. Let them cool and peel.

**Toasted Cumin Seeds: Toss in a skill and toast over medium heat, shaking and stirring the seeds until fragrant. Grind in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.

Salami-stuffed Bread - 2 ways

   

     A recent trip to Lawrence, KS included a stop at World Market where we bought salami, specialty cheeses and a jar of pepperoncini peppers! 
     Upon arrival at home, I made mini loaves of sourdough French bread, pulled basil pesto out of the freezer, dried tomato pesto from the fridge and created a sliced and stuffed, meat and cheese filled bread. We loved the way it tasted and looked but must admit it was a bit messy to eat. So, the next day, I used another mini loaf of bread to create a more conventional sandwich. Both versions are included below.
     Of course there is no cooking involved, just assembling. And, the ingredients can be varied to your tastes or just use what you have on hand.

Salami Stuffed Bread — sliced vertically and stuffed
1 loaf of French bread
Basil Pesto
Dried Tomato Pesto (we used a commercial product but I’ve blended dried tomatoes, a little garlic, a little Parmesan, pine nuts and olive oil in the food processor to create my own version)
Salami, thinly sliced
Smoked Cheddar Cheese, thinly sliced
Mozzarella Cheese, thinly slices
Pepperoncini Peppers, sliced
  1. Slit bread vertically almost to the bottom of the loaf, creating little pockets that can be stuffed. (I made the cuts close together to maximize the proportion of meat & cheese to bread. When I do this again, I’ll made the bread cuts a little wider as the loaf was so full that by I got to the last half I had a hard time getting all the ingredients added.
  2. Spread basil pesto on one piece of bread, dried tomato pesto on the next. Continue, alternating as you proceed.
  3. Stuff each pocket with a folded slice of salami, a piece of cheese and pepperoncini pepper slices.  I alternated the cheeses as I moved down the loaf.
  4. Place sandwich in the oven (350°) for 5 to 8 minutes, just long enough for cheese to begin to melt.
    Ready to eat!
Salami Stuffed Bread — conventional style
1 loaf of French bread
Basil Pesto
Dried Tomato Pesto (we used a commercial product but I’ve blended dried tomatoes, a little garlic, a little Parmesan, pine nuts and olive oil in the food processor to create my own version)
Salami, thinly sliced
Smoked Cheddar Cheese, thinly sliced
Mozzarella Cheese, thinly slices
Pepperoncini Peppers, sliced
  1. Slit bread horizontally.
  2. Spread basil pesto on one size of  the bread, dried tomato pesto on the other.
  3. Added sliced salami, cheeses and pepperoncini pepper slices to the bottom section of bread. Add top portion.
  4. Place sandwich in the oven (350°) for 5 to 8 minutes, just long enough for cheese to begin to melt. 

Recipes without photos . . .
Salami Stuffed Bread — sliced vertically and stuffed
1 loaf of French bread
Basil Pesto
Dried Tomato Pesto (we used a commercial product but I’ve blended dried tomatoes, a little garlic, a little Parmesan, pine nuts and olive oil in the food processor to create my own version)
Salami, thinly sliced
Smoked Cheddar Cheese, thinly sliced
Mozzarella Cheese, thinly slices
Pepperoncini Peppers, sliced
  1. Slit bread vertically almost to the bottom of the loaf, creating little pockets that can be stuffed. (I made the cuts close together to maximize the proportion of meat & cheese to bread. When I do this again, I’ll made the bread cuts a little wider as the loaf was so full that by I got to the last half I had a hard time getting all the ingredients added.
  2. Spread basil pesto on one piece of bread, dried tomato pesto on the next. Continue, alternating as you proceed.
  3. Stuff each pocket with a folded slice of salami, a piece of cheese and pepperoncini pepper slices.  I alternated the cheeses as I moved down the loaf.
  4. Place sandwich in the oven (350°) for 5 to 8 minutes, just long enough for cheese to begin to melt.

Salami Stuffed Bread — conventional style
1 loaf of French bread
Basil Pesto
Dried Tomato Pesto (we used a commercial product but I’ve blended dried tomatoes, a little garlic, a little Parmesan, pine nuts and olive oil in the food processor to create my own version)
Salami, thinly sliced
Smoked Cheddar Cheese, thinly sliced
Mozzarella Cheese, thinly slices
Pepperoncini Peppers, sliced
  1. Slit bread horizontally.
  2. Spread basil pesto on one size of  the bread, dried tomato pesto on the other.
  3. Added sliced salami, cheeses and pepperoncini pepper slices to the bottom section of bread. Add top portion.
  4. Place sandwich in the oven (350°) for 5 to 8 minutes, just long enough for cheese to begin to melt.