Zahav Hummus

By: The Food Hunter

Now that the craziness of the Thanksgiving holiday is behind us let's take some time to focus on cooking Middle Eastern food! At least that's what my Progressive Eats friends and I are doing. What is Progressive Eats? Well it's a virtual version of a progressive dinner. A different topic is chosen each month and members share theme specific recipes on their sites for you to enjoy. Our event is being hosted this month by Susan, who blogs at The Wimpy Vegetarian. We have a full menu of ideas to tempt you into the kitchen and release your inner-Ottolenghi. If you’re looking for something new to try, check out these wonderfully creative dishes!

I've decided to bring the Hummus,  not just any old hummus! This recipe is closely modeled after Chef Michael Solomonov famous Zahav restaurant version. What makes it so special? Some say it's soaking the chickpeas in baking soda, others swear it's using unpeeled heads of garlic. But I think it might be the Soom Foods brand tahini. This has got to be the best hummus I've ever tried!

Zahav Hummus
(courtesy of Chef Michael Solomonov)

1 cup dried chickpeas
2 teaspoons baking soda, divided
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/3 cup (or more) fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
2/3 cup excellent quality tahini (I used Soom foods)
1-2 teaspoon (or more) ground cumin

Olive oil, for serving
paprika, for serving

Place the chickpeas in a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of the baking soda and cover with plenty of water. (The chickpeas will double in volume, so use more water than you think you need.) Soak the chickpeas overnight at room temperature. The next day, drain the chickpeas and rinse under cold water.

Place the chickpeas in a large pot with the remaining 1 teaspoon baking soda and add cold water to cover by at least 4 inches. Bring the chickpeas to a boil over high heat, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface. Lower the heat to medium, cover the pot, and continue to simmer for about 1 hour, until the chickpeas are completely tender. Then simmer them a little more. (don't worry if they are mushy.) Drain.

Meanwhile, process garlic with the skins on, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor until coarsely puréed. 


Strain garlic mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pressing on solids to release as much liquid as possible. Return liquid to food processor; discard solids. Add tahini and pulse to combine. With motor running, add 1/4 cup ice water by the tablespoonful and process until mixture is very smooth, pale, and thick. Add chickpeas and cumin and puree for several minutes, until the hummus is smooth and creamy. Then purée it some more! Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, lemon juice, and cumin if you like. 


To serve, spread the hummus in a shallow bowl, dust with paprika, top generously with oil.

Progressive Eats Middle Eastern/Moroccan Menu

Cocktail

Pomegranate Green Tea Mojito from The Redhead Baker

Appetizer

Hummus Tehina from Food Hunters Guide to Cuisine

Main Dishes

Lamb Chelo Kebab from Spice Roots

Prawns, Feta, and Tomatoes over Couscous from The Wimpy Vegetarian

Bread

Homemade Pita Bread from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Side Dish

Jeweled Persian-Style Rice (Gluten-Free) from The Heritage Cook

Desserts

Pomegranate Posset from Mother Would Know

Moroccan Shortbread Cookies with Cracked Tops (Ghoriba Bahla) from Pastry Chef Online

To see our upcoming themes and how you can participate, please check out the schedule at Creative Culinary or contact Barb for more information.

Greek Yogurt Molasses Cookies

By: The Food Hunter

It recently occurred to me that although I love molasses cookies the only time they cross my mind is from late October through December. There's something about the light brown crinkle topped cookies that puts me in the mood for the holidays.

Always looking to lighten up a recipe, but never willing to comprise on taste I decided to experiment with replacing some of the butter in molasses cookies with Greek yogurt. The result was a softer, chewier and tastier cookie, than normal and one I found irresistible.

The next time you are hankering for a molasses cookie I suggest you give these a try.



Greek Yogurt Molasses Cookies
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup Stonyfield Greek Yogurt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 large eggs
3 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 mins. Add the molasses and continue mixing. Add the baking soda, salt, and spices. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Stir in the flour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Scoop dough into balls and roll them in granulated sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack before eating.

I have an ongoing relationship with Stonyfield as a member of the Clean Plate Club. I receive product, coupons and compensation for posts featuring their products. As always, all opinions are 100% my own 

Bensonhurst Cocktail

By: The Food Hunter

Raise a glass, another Thanksgiving has come and gone without incident! The turkey was moist, the stuffing extra tasty and the sweet tangy taste of the homemade cranberry sauce still lingers in my mouth.  With all the stress of the day behind us it's time to enjoy a cocktail and start thinking about Christmas.

Bensonhurst
2 oz rye
1 oz dry vermouth
.25 oz maraschino liqueur
1 splash Cynar

Combine in a mixing glass with ice and stir. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

World Vision Catalog Giveaway

By: The Food Hunter

It's hard not to get caught up in the seasonal activities of shopping and gift giving during the weeks leading up to the holidays. This year, while you are purchasing presents for your loved ones, I'd like to encourage you to keep those less fortunate in mind by introducing you to the World Vision Catalog.

World Vision is a global Christian humanitarian organization that partners families and their communities to tackle poverty and injustice. The World Vision Gift Catalog is one of many programs the organization runs to help eradicate poverty and give hope around the world. Since 1996, the World Vision Gift Catalog has grown in popularity as a gift-giving alternative. Over 650,000 people were helped through funds generated by the Catalog last year alone.

The 2016 World Vision Gift Catalog contains more than 250 poverty-fighting gifts, ranging in price from $16 to $39,000, that improve the quality of life for struggling children and families both in the U.S. and around the world. It allows shoppers to purchase small unique gifts that can make a huge impact on the lives of families throughout the US. 

Choosing gifts for friends and relatives from the World Vision Catalog truly is a wonderful idea: you get a beautiful crafted gift, perfect for  everyone on your holiday list and you help people around the world in the process. To order from World Vision’s Gift Catalog you can call 855-WV-GIFTS or visit the website HERE. Be sure to follow World Vision via Facebook and Twitter for mission updates, new gift products and more.

World Vision would like to send one reader the six handcrafted items above from their 2016 Gift Catalog so you can see the products first hand and understand the love that goes into crafting them. Enter below for your chance to experience a little taste of The 2016 World Vision Gift Catalog.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I have an ongoing relationship with World Vision Catalog and will receive product and/or compensation for posts featuring their items. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. 

How to Properly Set A Holiday Table

By: The Food Hunter

Whether you spend a lot of time preparing the holiday feast, or are a guest at the dinner table of a friend or family member, you can appreciate a properly set table.  A table that is set well makes the dining experience that much more enjoyable. There's no wondering which fork to use next or which glass is yours, when everything is in it's place.



After many years of being asked by family and friends, "how do you properly set a table" I decided to put together this short video of the format I use. I hope you find it beneficial this holiday season.

Pear & Salted Carmel Cake & A Baker's Dream Giveaway!

By: The Food Hunter

Have you ever opened a cookbook and instantly fell in love with the exquisite photos and delicious recipes?  This is exactly what happened to me with Hillary Davis' cookbook, French Desserts.

I've never been to France but simply browsing through this cookbook made me realize how much I would love the desserts in France. Recipes like the Pear & Salted Carmel Cake (below), Lime Yogurt Cake, Butter Cake, and more fill the pages of this delightful cookbook.

But having a good cookbook is pointless without quality bakeware. I recently got to try the Anolon Advanced Bronze Bake-ware Set and loved it. The 5 piece set includes just about everything a home baker needs to create the delicious treats found in the French Desserts cookbook. What makes this set special are the wide rims fitted with silicone handle grips for easy use.

Delicious desserts also deserve to be sliced professionally. The gourmet cake knife from WÜSTHOF has a nice serrated edge for easy cutting and a wide blade for serving. It was a pleasure to be able to cut through the cake without having it crumble.

When it comes to baking like a pro, the right kitchen tools really do make a difference. Bowls, graters, and extracts are all equally important so stick with brands you know and trust, like Nielsen-Massey, Microplane, Anolon , and WÜSTHOF . These gracious sponsors have provided us with the items in our bakers dream giveaway.  Enter below for your chance to win!

Check out more recipes from our group:
Mini Raspberry Croissants 
Fabulous Butter Cake
Laughing Cow Sugar Cookies
Chocolate Sables

Pear & Salted Carmel Cake

For the Cake
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 pounds (3 to 4) firm pears


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line the loaf pan with parchment paper cut so that it overhangs the short sides by 2 inches and another piece of parchment paper cut so that it overhangs the long sides by 2 inches. You will use these overhangs as a sling to lift the cake out of the pan after it is baked.

Using the mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat to combine. Add the flour, salt, butter, and half-and-half; mix until combined.

Do not peel the pears. Simply cut them into very thin slices and stir them into the batter. It will look like it is all pears, and you will not see much batter once it is all mixed.

Scoop this mixture into the loaf pan, pat it down flat, and bake for 45-55 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Take the cake out of the oven, and increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.


For the topping
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup half and half
4 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat the brown sugar, half-and half, butter, and salt in a saucepan until it comes to a boil then let it bubble away for 2 minutes.

Poke holes in the top of the cake with a fork or a skewer. Pour half of the hot carmel mixture over the cake and place the cake back into the oven to bake for another 12 minutes. Reserve the remaining sauce.

Remove the cake from the oven, cool for 5 minutes, then gently lift with the parchment paper and slip the cake onto a serving plate. Remove the parchment paper and cool to room temperature for 20 minutes.

To serve, use a serrated knife to gently cut the cake into 1-inch-thick slices and ladle a bit f warm caramel sauce over the top.

 *****Baker's Dream Giveaway*****

One giveaway winner will receive a copy of French Desserts by Hillary Davis, an Anolon Advanced Bronze 5-piece baking set, a Paula Deen 3-piece mixing bowl set, a WÜSTHOF GOURMET 6-inch Cake Knife, a Microplane Premium Classic Spice Grater and Spice Cup Grater, and Nielsen-Massey almond and lemon extracts.

A second winner will receive a copy of French Desserts by Hillary Davis.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post is organized by Virtual Potluck and sponsored by Anolon, WÜSTHOF, Paula Deen, Microplane, Gibbs-Smith, and Nielsen-Massey, who provided products to the participating bloggers as well as items for our giveaway. As Always, all opinions are my own.