Basil hummus

February 22, 2018  •  Category: ,

I was fortunate enough to be invited recently to dinner at the table of a celebrity chef in Lebanon (and the region),  Chef Richard. The dinner was to take place at Al Liwan, one of his restaurants in Beirut.


This is the perfect restaurant to take a crowd to, especially if they are Lebanese expats with lots of pent-up nostalgia for traditional Lebanese restaurants with that no-holds-barred ambiance; its a place for party animals, and even if you are not one by definition, its nice to loosen-up once in a while. Here, being boisterous, merry and hyper is encouraged. There is live entertainment as well.

The restaurant  is  appointed with antiques,  miniature porcelain items  and an  over-the-top elevator upholstered in satin.

The menu is classic Lebanese, with lots of mezze, grilled meats and desserts. The food is delivered banquet-style, as this is obviously a kitchen for a crowd, not for intimate dining. A couple of unusual items  got my attention. A green-colored hummus, which Chef Richard said was “basil-flavored hummus” and a halloumi  plate smothered in a cheesy sauce topped with nigella seeds, both his signature. I decided to try and replicate them at home. Here is the basil hummus first.

 

Basil Hummos

Joumana Accad Mediterranean, Middle Eastern February 22, 2018 Main Dish, Mezze/Appetizers, easytofix, lebanesefood, basil, hummus, tagged,

6-8 servings

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Passive Time: 8 hours

Ingredients

2 cups dry chickpeas soaked in water to cover +one inch overnight

1 tablespoon  garlic paste (more, to taste)

1/2 cup tahini

3 medium lemons

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup (or more, to taste) fresh basil leaves

salt, to taste

1/4 cup chopped pistachios, to garnish

 

Instructions

  1. Drain the chickpeas and transfer to a large pot and fill with fresh tap water. Cook until soft, about 2 hours. (Conversely, save time by using canned chickpeas, about 3 cans for the equivalent).
  2. Meanwhile, make the pesto by mixing the basil with garlic paste and olive oil till creamy.
  3. When cooked, save the cooking water and transfer most of the chickpeas to the bowl of a processor and cool a bit. Add the tahini,  pesto and lemon juice and  process, tasting to adjust some ingredients to your taste.
  4. When it has reached the right texture and the taste that you like, transfer to a serving plate and garnish with the pistachios and some fresh basil leaves or extra chickpeas. Serve with pita bread or chips.

 

Recipe Notes

This is an unusual hummus, but I find it delicious with the peppery taste of fresh basil. You can use a bottled pesto, but I don't think it will be as good.



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Comments

13 Comments  •  Comments Feed

  1. Reply

    lisaiscooking says:

    I love the pretty green color! I have some new basil just starting to grow now, and I can’t wait to try this when it’s big enough to harvest.

    On February 27, 2018 at 3:17 pm

  2. Reply

    Hélène (Cannes) says:

    Quel beau menu ! Et quelle jolie couleur a ce hummus, dis donc ! Je garde l’idée et à mon prochain bouquet de basilic, je le prépare comme ça. Bon, le basilic n’est pas pour tout de suite ,vu la neige qui s’est abattue sur nous ces jours-ci ! 😉 Bisous
    Hélène

    On March 1, 2018 at 6:54 am

  3. Reply

    Olivia says:

    Oh I love the idea of basil hummus! I’m not eating cheese anymore so I really miss pesto, but this basil hummus sounds like it would hit the spot. Can’t wait to try it.

    On March 16, 2018 at 7:17 pm

  4. Reply

    poker rules says:

    Good info. Lucky me I ran across your blog by accident (stumbleupon).
    I’ve saved it for later!

    On September 9, 2018 at 8:06 pm

  5. Reply

    Himalaya says:

    It looks yummy. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

    On November 8, 2018 at 6:37 am

  6. Reply

    Moin says:

    My mom prepare this and i ate and amazed. Then my Mom told me your site. You have amazing things on this blog. Love from me and keep it up.

    On March 22, 2019 at 4:31 am

  7. Reply

    Elizeh says:

    Yummy.. It looks so delicious.. I will surely try this..

    On December 2, 2019 at 6:55 am

  8. Reply

    Standard salts says:

    Thank you so much for sharing such amazing recipe. It really looks delicious.

    On December 27, 2022 at 11:31 am

  9. Reply

    Standard Salts says:

    Thank you for sharing such an amazing receipe with us.

    On March 16, 2023 at 3:33 pm

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