green garden salad hummus

I spent the last couple of days transplanting tiny, green seedlings of fennel that had self-seeded from the summer blooms. Some were naturally dried, some saved, and some haphazardly sprinkled or wind-carried in all sorts of unusual places throughout the garden. This is what I LOVE about a garden left to self-seed. There is always something to be found where you least expect it or not expect it at all.

I love that it makes me get my hands and knees dirty so that I notice all the infinite little beauties around me. Wild rockets are popping their heads up everywhere. I have blankets of small parsley seedlings and more green blankets of coriander seedlings, which make the most delicious addition to green salads.

a wintergreen garden salad hummus

Inspired by a vegetable garden.

The celery and fennel need to be very fresh and finely chopped.

This hummus goes very nicely with this beetroot salad and is served with sweetcorn and chard pancakes. It’s a perfect light dinner or lunch.

ingredients

1¼ cups dried chickpeas

⅛ tsp bicarbonate soda

½ tsp cumin seeds

½ cup tahini

juice of ½ lemon (approximately 2 Tbsp)

salt to taste

½ cup ice cold water

1 cup celery, finely chopped

1 cup fennel, finely chopped

big handful finely chopped fresh coriander

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill

rind of one lemon

sprinkling spicy paprika powder

pre-soak

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight in double their volume of water. The next day, drain and rinse.

preparation

2. Place the chickpeas and bicarbonate of soda in a saucepan and generously cover with water. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that comes to the surface. Simmer uncovered until the chickpeas are soft, about 1 – 2 hours, depending on the type and freshness of your chickpeas. You will need to add more water as they simmer. Once done, the chickpeas should be quite soft but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
3. Dry roast the cumin seeds in a small pan. When lightly toasted, turn off the heat and grind to a powder with a mortar and pestle—set aside.
4. Transfer the chickpeas to a food processor and run the machine, occasionally stopping and scraping down the sides until the beans are crumbly.
5. Pour in the tahini, add the cumin, lemon juice, and salt, and blend again until well combined. With the machine still running, start drizzling in the ice water so that the hummus starts to become fluffy and aerated. Depending on the beans, you may not use all the water, or you may need more. Taste and adjust to your own personal taste by adding more tahini, lemon, or salt—set aside while preparing the vegetables.
6. Finely and thinly chop the fennel, a few fronds, celery, leaves, fresh coriander, and dill. Place in a large shallow bowl and stir in the blended chickpeas.
7. Combine well and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or lemon to taste.

Glug a good helping of olive oil around the hummus, sprinkle on the lemon rind, and add hot paprika. Serve as above or with these crackers, vegetable sticks, or sandwiches.

Goodness shared from Stacey