Hummus with sea scallops as prepared by chef Keith Froggett of Scaramouche on Feb 24 2011.
The principle ingredient in hummus is the humble yet highly nutritious chickpea, also know as the garbanzo bean. At Scaramouche we add only four other ingredients (salt, garlic, fresh lemon juice and olive oil) to ours, but it's the quality of the oil we use that is key, I think, to its success. Of course, there are a myriad of other ingredients that can be added, including cumin and tahini.
The hummus can be whipped to a beautiful silky purée to spread on bread in place of butter or simply used as a dip for raw vegetables. Hummus is also a wonderful accompaniment to simple roasted or grilled foods such as lamb, chicken and sea scallops. It mingles incredibly well with the roasting and pan juices while still having bright and assertive enough flavours to make the whole greater than its parts. During the colder months, I like to serve these dishes with wilted bitter greens or, in summertime, with a crisp, cool salad of robust greens.
Keith Froggett is co-owner and executive chef of Scaramouche in Toronto.
Ingredients
2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
1 clove garlic, peeled
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
Method
Place ingredients in a food processor and blend until either chunky or silky smooth, depending on your preference. If you wish to use less oil but still want a smooth texture, replace some of the oil with the cooking liquid from the peas. Hummus should be refrigerated if made ahead of time. Return to room temperature prior to serving.