Tuna Salad with Dill and Pepperoncini

Dill is an annual, self-seeding herb with feathery green leaves. It is a member of the celery and parsley family Apiaceae. Dill is easy to grow and attracts beneficial insects to your garden, such as wasps and other predatory insects. Fresh and dried dill leaves (sometimes called "dill weed" to distinguish it from dill seed) are used most commonly in Borscht and other soups and stews, to flavor gravlax (cured salmon) and other fish, in salads and for pickling. Dill is best when used fresh as it loses its flavor rapidly if dried; however, freeze-dried dill leaves retain their flavor relatively well for a few months. Dill seed, having a flavor similar to caraway but also resembling that of fresh or dried dill weed, is used as a spice.

Mix all the ingredients well with a fork in a medium-size, nonreactive bowl. Taste and adjust the lemon juice and pepper. The salad can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated.

Yield: 4 servings

Return to Recipe Index

Additional Uses for Dill

Greek Spinach Dip: Mix 1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, cooked and squeezed dry, 1 cup reduced fat sour cream, 1/2 cup reduced fat mayonnaise, 1 pkg. (3.5 oz.) crumbled Reduced Fat Feta Cheese, 8 green onions finely chopped, 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley and 2 tbsp. dill. Refrigerate 1 hour. Serve with crudité and baked pita chips.

Easy Carrot and Dill Soup: Pour 5 cups of vegetable or chicken stock in a large Dutch oven on high heat. Add 1 tsp. salt and cover until boiling. Mince 2 cloves of garlic. When the stock boils, add 2 10 oz. bags of shredded carrots and the garlic. Return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the carrots are tender. Fill a blender halfway full of carrots and broth. Puree and repeat until you've pureed all the soup. Taste the soup. If it isn't sweet enough add some honey. If it's too sweet, or if you just like a bit of tang, add some cider vinegar. Stir in 1/4 cup of chopped dill. Ladle into bowls. Drizzle each portion with a teaspoon of heavy cream and a sprinkle of the remaining dill.

Vietnamese Kale Salad

Vogue magazine, Oct. 2016

Kale is a hardy biennial (it take two years to go to flower and complete its life-cycle), but it is usually grown as an annual. Tuscan kale, also known as cavalo nero or lacinato kale, is a popular winter-season green in the Northern parts of Italy. It features distinctive very long, curly, blue-green leaves with embossed surface resembling dinosaur skin, giving its name as dinosaur kale. Kale, like other members of the Brassica family, contains health-promoting phytochemicals to protect against prostate and colon cancers. Kale is a very rich source of Beta-carotene, lutein, zea-xanthin and Vitamin A. 100 grams of fresh leaves carry 9990 IU of this vitamin, providing 333% of RDA. It is one of the excellent vegetable sources for Vitamin-K; 100 g provides about 587% of recommended intake. Vitamin K has a potential role in bone health through promoting osteotrophic (bone formation and strengthening) activity. Adequate Vitamin-K levels in the diet help limiting neuronal damage in the brain; thus, has established role in the treatment of patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

1. Make squash noodles. Use a spiralizer, or ring squash and zucchini through the teeth on a mandolin, or julienne with a knife.
2. Mix squash noodles in bowl with kale.
3. Place ginger, garlic, jalapeño, lemongrass, lime leaves in a food processor and blend into paste.
4. Make sachet from paste by adding paste to cheesecloth and tying it secure.
5. Squeeze sachet over the combined kale, zucchini, and squash. Season with lemon juice and fish sauce. Top with herbs.

Yield: 4 servings

Return to Recipe Index

Roasted Kale

Preheat oven to 375°F. Rinse 2 bunches of kale and pat dry. Remove thick ribs and roughly chop leaves. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, minced, and salt and pepper. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Kale does not need to be in a single layer, as it will shrink in volume as it cooks. Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring every five minutes, until leaves are tender, crisp on edges and browned. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds before serving.

Return to Recipe Index

Fresh Fennel and Lemon Slaw

Fennel is a flowering plant species in the carrot family. It is a highly aromatic and flavorful herb with culinary and medicinal uses and, along with the similar-tasting anise, is one of the primary ingredients of absinthe. Florence fennel or finocchio is a selection with a swollen, bulb-like stem base that is used as a vegetable. The fronds can be used in salads, but the main attraction of fennel is the bulb itself which is very firm and crunchy, and tastes a bit like licorice and anise. It can also be grilled or braised until tender. The bulb is made of overlapping layers of vegetable, almost like a cabbage, and is very firm. To be used in salads or slaws, fennel should be sliced very thin, and it's easiest to do this with a mandoline.

1. Finely chop the fronds of the fennel bulb.
2. Thinly slice the stalks and bulb with a mandoline (or finely chop with a chef's knife).
3. Do the same with the cabbage and radicchio, and toss all the vegetables together.
4. Zest the Meyer lemons and toss with the vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Whisk the remaining ingredients together, taste, and adjust. Toss with salad and refrigerate for an hour before serving.

Yield: 6 servings

Return to Recipe Index

Braised Fennel with Potatoes and Fontina

Quarter 3-4 fennel bulbs, cube an equivalent volume of potatoes, and boil them with 1-2 teaspoons of fennel seeds in a little lightly salted water until fork tender. Then drain the vegetables, stir in 1/4 pound of shredded Fontina cheese and the leafy fronds from the fennel bulbs (washed, patted dry and minced). Cover the pot until the cheese has melted, then serve as a side dish.

Additional Serving Tips for Fennel

• Sprinkle chopped fennel leaves on hot baked oysters or clams.
• Add stalks to stocks for their flavor.
• Add sliced fennel to fish chowders.
• Use stalks as a natural, aromatic "rack" to set poultry on in a roasting pan.
• Slice steamed or blanched fennel, cover with a vinaigrette and serve chilled.
• Chop raw fennel fine and add to tuna fish sandwiches.
• Cook fennel in your favorite tomato sauce.
• Slice fennel thin and layer with raw potatoes when making potatoes au gratin.

Return to Recipe Index

Cheesy Cauliflower Pasta That's Anything But Boring

Bon Appetit Test Kitchen, February 2016

Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable related to broccoli, cabbage and kale. Cruciferous or "brassica vegetables" are high in vitamin A carotenoids, vitamin C, folic acid, and fiber. Orange cauliflower contains 25% more vitamin A than white varieties. Cultivars include 'Cheddar' and 'Orange Bouquet'. Purple cauliflower is caused by the presence of the antioxidant group anthocyanins, which can also be found in red cabbage and red wine. Varieties include 'Graffiti' and 'Purple Cape'.

On a sheet pan, drizzle a head of chopped cauliflower and six skin-on garlic cloves with some olive oil, salt, pepper, and red chile flakes. Roast at 425°, tossing occasionally, until the cauliflower is caramelized and crisp, about 30 minutes. Once cool, peel the roasted garlic cloves. In a large bowl, combine a cup of grated Parmesan, three tablespoons of butter, a pinch of salt, two tablespoons of toasted pine nuts, and a quarter-cup of toasted breadcrumbs. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook a pound of short pasta (like cavatelli). Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the hot pasta with the cauliflower, garlic cloves, Parmesan butter mixture, and enough pasta water to mix it all together. Garnish with a handful of torn parsley leaves.

Additional Cauliflower Ideas

Crispy cauliflower: Roast cauliflower at 450 degrees with a little olive oil, garlic, thyme sprigs and salt until tender and caramelized, then toss with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Mash & Bake: Steam cauliflower until tender then cut into pieces and blend with low-fat milk, yogurt or sour cream and a bit of butter. Add salt, pepper then whip or mash until smooth. Pour into a baking dish, add paprika and bake until bubbly.

Creamy soup: Wilt some onion and celery in butter, add broth, heat to boiling, add leftover cauliflower, and reheat. Puree, then add cream and butter. Or sauté curry along with celery and onion for a creamy curry soup. Serve hot or cold.

Marinated Cauliflower:Blanch 1 lb cauliflower florets in boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Drain; put in stainless steel or glass bowl along with 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil and 1 tsp. dried oregano. Crush 1 clove garlic. Bring to a boil the garlic, 1 cup white vinegar, and 1/2 tsp mustard seeds. Pour over cauliflower, stirring to mix well. Cover. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight, stirring once or twice. Correct seasonings with salt and pepper. Drain, drizzle with 3-4 tablespoons olive oil, toss with 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and 2 tablespoons chopped scallions. (Makes 4 cups).

Return to Recipe Index

Spice-Rubbed Beer-Can Chicken with Potatoes and Sweet Peppers

Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

• 1 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tsp madras curry powder or your favorite spice mix
• Hot sauce, to taste
• 1 can beer
• 1 pound fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
• 2 large red, orange or yellow bell peppers, quartered and deseeded
• Olive oil
• Lime wedges, for serving
• Chopped basil, for serving.

1. Prepare grill for indirect heat: if using gas, heat one side to medium high for 10 minutes, leaving other side off. If using charcoal, mound and light coals on one side.
2. Season chicken generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Mix mayonnaise with spices and hot sauce to taste. Slather all but 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise mixture over chicken, including cavity.
3. Open beer and drink or pour out half. Lower chicken over can so that can is inside chicken cavity. Chicken should be upright. Place chicken on unlit side and cover grill. Cook for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, toss potatoes with remaining mayonnaise and a pinch of salt. Toss peppers with olive oil, salt and pepper.
4. When chicken has cooked for 30 minutes, set potatoes on grill, also on unlit side. If using charcoal, add more coals. Let both cook for 30 minutes more. When done, potatoes should be soft and golden; chicken skin should be brown (around 75 minutes, depending on your grill). If necessary, move both to lighted side to brown further.
5. When chicken is done, very carefully remove can (hold chicken with tongs and use an oven mitt to pull out can). Let chicken rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, grill peppers for about 2 to 3 minutes each side.
6. Carve chicken and garnish with lime wedges and basil before serving with potatoes and peppers.

Yield: 4 servings

Return to Recipe Index

Georgian Chicken In Pomegranate And Tamarind Sauce

Adapted from The Essenial Book of Jewish Festival Cooking by Phyllis Glazer and Miriyam Glazer (HarperCollins, 20O4)

Time: 1 hour 3O minutes

• 4 medium yellow onions, diced
• 4 medium red onions, diced
• 2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
• 10 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp hot paprika or cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 3 Tbsp tamarind paste¹, diluted in 3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup pomegranate paste¹ diluted or 1/2 cup water, or 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 2 Tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp salt
• 10 skinless chicken thighs
• 10 skinless chicken legs
• Seeds from pomegranate, for garnish

1. In a large Dutch oven or in a pot with a tight-fitting lid, mix the onions, 1 1/2 cups cilantro, the garlic and the spices. Blend in the diluted tamarind paste, the diluted pomegranate paste, the ketchup and the salt.
2. Add chicken thighs and legs to pot, and submerge in sauce. Cover, and cook on medium-high
3. heat for 10 minutes, then lower heat, and cook for 1 hour. Uncover, adjust seasonings to taste, and continue cooking for 20 minutes.
4. Transfer chicken and sauce to a serving platter, and garnish with remaining cilantro. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over platter, and serve hot.

1. Sold in Middle Eastern and Indian markets and some supermarkets

Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Return to Recipe Index

Broccoli with Garlic and Lemon

• 1 head broccoli
• 2 - 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 3 Tbsp water
• Salt and pepper

1. Chop broccoli florets and tender stems into bite sized pieces.
2. Mince, thinly slice or microplane garlic and add to saute pan with olive oil and butter over medium to low heat. Stir for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant, then add broccoli and toss to coat. Be careful not let garlic brown.
3. Add water and lemon juice and deglaze garlic by scrapping the bits off of the bottom of the pan. Steam until tender and crisp and most of liquid evaporates. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: Also works well with cabbage, Swiss chard, brussel sprouts or carrots.

Return to Recipe Index

Fennel with Red Cabbage

Time: 35 minutes

• 2 heads fennel (about 2 pounds)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp margarine or butter
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
• 1-1/2 tsp instant chicken bouillon granules
• 1/4 tsp onion salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 6 cups coarsely shredded red cabbage
• 4 tsp cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp water

1. Cut off and discard upper stalks of fennel. Snip 2 teaspoons of the feathery leaves; reserve remaining tops for garnish. Remove any wilted outer layers of stalks; cut off a thin slice from the base. Wash fennel and cut into quarters lengthwise.
2. In a medium saucepan cook garlic in hot margarine or butter for 1 minute. Add fennel wedges, the 1 cup water, vinegar or lemon juice, bouillon granules, onion salt, white pepper, and the 2 teaspoons snipped fennel leaves. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 12 to 14 minutes or until fennel wedges are tender.
3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan bring red wine vinegar and the 1/4 cup water to boiling. Add red cabbage. Cover and cook for 8 to 12 minutes or until cabbage is tender. Drain well. Transfer to a serving platter.
4. Remove fennel bulbs from liquid with a slotted spoon; place atop red cabbage. Combine cornstarch and the 2 tablespoons water; add to fennel cooking liquid. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Pour sauce over cabbage and fennel. Garnish with remaining fennel tops.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6 servings

Return to Recipe Index

Maggie's Kale Recipe

Courtesy Esalen via Christy Wilhelmi

• 1 large bunch of Kale, curly, red or dinosaur or a mix
• 18/2 medium red onion
• Several handfuls of sprouts, such as alfalfa, sunflower or pea sprouts cut into bite-sized pieces (optional)
• 1/4 cup each sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds
• 1 avocado cut into chunks (optional)
• 1 handful thinly sliced shiitake or crimini mushrooms (optional)
• 1/3 cup each Bragg's Liquid Aminos, lemon juice, olive oil

1. Combine the Bragg's & lemon juice in a blender (or non-aluminum bowl) and slowly drizzle in the oil (or measure into medium size jar and shake vigorously).
2. Slice onion into thin moons and marinate in dressing while you prepare the rest of the salad.
3. Toast the seeds in heavy-bottom pan over a medium heat until seeds are golden and fragrant. Toast each seed type separately as their sizes require varying cooking times. Cool seeds at room temperature.
4. Destem the kale. (If using young dinosaur kale you can skip this step for extra texture in your salad) This is the most important step! Take your time. Sing to the kale.
5. Stack the stem-less kale leaves and slice into 1/4" inch ribbons.
6. Toss the ribbons, sprouts, and seeds together with all of the marinated onion and as much dressing as necessary to lightly, but completely dress the kale. Add the avocado and mushrooms if you wish.
7. Toss well. Use your hands (this recipe doesn't work as well if you just use salad tools.)

Thank the earth for your bounty and eat with loved ones!

Note: This salad gets better with time. Make it well before you are going to serve it and it will still be good left-over.

Return to Recipe Index

Aromatic Parsnips and Carrots

From Better Homes and Gardens — Nov. 2005

• 1 1/2 lbs small parsnips, peeled and halved lengthwise
• 1 1/2 lbs small carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

1. Cut any long parsnips and carrots in half. In a very large skillet, cook parsnips, covered in a small amount of boiling, salted water for 2 minutes. Add carrots and return to boiling. Cook 4 minutes more. Drain; set aside. Carefully wipe skillet dry.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in same skillet over medium heat. Add fennel seeds, coriander and cinnamon. Cook about 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Add parsnips, carrots and garlic. Cook 10-12 minutes or until vegetables are tender, turning occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro, lemon peel, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.

Yield: Serves 10-12

Return to Recipe Index

White Bean Salad with Green Olives & Tarragon

Courtesy Esalen via Christy Wilhelmi

• 3 cups cooked white beans, rinsed if canned
• 2 small celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 15 Spanish green olives, pitted & sliced (can also use olives stuffed with pimento)
• 2 Tbsp chopped tarragon
• 1 Tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• Salt & freshly milled pepper
• 4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1. Put the beans in a bowl with the celery, olives, and tarragon and gently mix everything together.
2. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, garlic, paprika and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then whisk in the oil.
3. Taste and adjust the seasonings, then pour the dressing over the beans.
4. Add pepper and mix gently again. Serve at room temperature.

Return to Recipe Index

The Puglia Streetwalker

Vibrant and spicy, this is Puglia's uncooked version of puttanesca, or streetwalker's pasta. Every time I mix together this sauce of fresh tomatoes, garlic, olives, herbs, capers, cheese, and chiles, I imagine the same story: A Puglia farmer makes his once-in-a-lifetime trip across the Italian peninsula to Naples, like our cowboys going to the big city. There he tastes Naples' Pasta of the Streetwalker. He goes home and tells his wife about the dish, but probably not where he ate it. She starts making it, but can't resist adding the Puglia touch of wild arugula. This is my picturesque way of saying if you love puttanesca, you'll love this pasta. It's an example of how pungent ingredients like olives and capers, raw onion, and chiles can call out each facet of the tomato's complicated flavors. By the way, note how a little tomato paste deepens the character of an uncooked sauce.

Cook to Cook: The sauce can wait several hours, lightly covered, at room temperature. Do not refrigerate it.

Wild arugula (also called wall rocket; botanically Diplotaxis muralis) has small, fleshy leaves and tastes peppery, clean, and sharp, quite different from the more familiar cultivated arugula, which can become medicinal and bitter when it's too mature. Substitute either young arugula or the inner leaves of curly endive or mesclun.

Wine Suggestion: A red Copertino, Rosso del Salento, or Salice Salentino from Puglia.

• About 4 cups ice cubes
• 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tightly packed Tbsp fresh basil leaves
• 1 tightly packed tsp each fresh marjoram and Italian parsley leaves
• 1 clove garlic
• Generous pinch of hot red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 oil-packed anchovy fillets, rinsed (optional)
• 1/3 cup Puglia, Liguria, or Nicoise black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
• About 3 pounds richly flavored tomatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup crumbled Pecorino Ricotta Salata from Puglia, Cacio Romano, ricotta salata from Sicily, or domestic Vella Dry Jack or Stella Fontinella
• 2 Tbsp fruity extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
• 3/4 pound orecchiette pasta
• 6 quarts boiling salted water
• 1/3 tightly packed cup wild arugula (wall rocket), or young arugula, mesclun, or tender curly endive leaves, chopped

1. Put half the ice cubes in a medium bowl, add the onion, and top with the rest of the cubes. Cover with cold water. Refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes. Drain. (Chilling the onion in ice water renders it crisp and mild.)
2. Mince together the herbs, garlic, and hot pepper with the salt. Turn into a big serving bowl. Add the anchovies, olives, tomatoes, vinegar, cheese, and oil and blend in the tomato paste. Taste for seasoning, adding a little freshly ground black pepper if needed.
3. Cook the pasta in fiercely boiling water, stirring often, until there is no raw flour taste. Orecchiette cook to a chewier consistency than most pastas. Drain in a colander.
4. Put the pasta pot back over medium-high heat. Spoon most of the sauce's liquid into the pot. Stir in the drained pasta and cook a few minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Turn the pasta into the sauce and add the drained onion and fresh greens. Taste for seasoning, toss, and serve.

Yield: 6 to 8 as a first course, 4 to 6 as a main dish

Return to Recipe Index

Bean Soup in the Style of Tuscany: Ribollita

Recipe courtesy Mario Batali

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

• 3/4 cup dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight and drained
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Spanish onion, thinly sliced
• 1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 celery stalk, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced, plus 1 whole garlic clove
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound chopped cavolo nero (black cabbage), roughly chopped
• 1/2 pound chopped white cabbage, roughly chopped
• 2 scant tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 cups water
• 4 (1/2-inch) slices Italian peasant bread
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Place the presoaked cannellini beans in a medium stockpot. Add water to just cover the beans and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and let the beans simmer until tender, about 1 hour.
2. In a 12-inch saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion, leek, carrot, celery, sliced garlic, and herbs. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the black and white cabbages and cook until the cabbage has softened and the flavors have blended, about 10 minutes. Salt and pepper, to taste. Remove the sprigs of rosemary and thyme and the bay leaf. Add the tomato paste, and stir until the tomato paste is well distributed throughout the vegetable mixture.
3. Preheat the grill or broiler.
4. Add the vegetable mixture to the pot with beans and water and let simmer until the flavors are well blended, about 30 minutes more. When the soup is close to being done, toast or grill the bread until both sides are browned. Cut the remaining garlic clove in half, and rub the toasted bread with the cut end of the garlic. Discard the garlic.
5. Serve the soup hot in 4 warmed bowls with the garlic bruschetta on the side. Garnish with a sprinkling of Parmigiano, to taste.

Yield: Serves 4

Return to Recipe Index

The Ultimate Summer Sandwich Supper

More an ingredient list than an actual recipe. Garden member Susan D. says this is a perfect way to end a mid summer Sunday afternoon at the garden. Enjoy this sandwich with a glass of Pinot Grigio and finish with some fresh sliced peaches and vanilla ice cream.

• Moroccan olive bread, toasted
• Schmear o' mayo
• Kaskaval Bulgarian cheese, sliced thin
• Roasted turkey breast, sliced thin
• Red onion, sliced thinner
• Fresh Marmande tomatoes
• Avocado, sliced thin
• Fresh cukes, sliced thin
• Piles of fresh basil leaves and tarragon leaves
• Garlic salt and spices to taste

Return to Recipe Index

Tomato Basil Hummus

Recipe courtesy Ona Rynearson

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: n/a

Serve with lavash, pita, or chips; but using as a veggie dip will be just as tasty!

• One can (19 ounces) of garbanzo beans, mostly drained. Leave about 1/4 of the liquid.
• 1 glove of garlic chopped (more if you like garlic)
• 2-4 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice (I prefer lime)
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste, I also add a bit of garlic power, and a mixed spice like Ms. Dash or Spike that is salt free
• Several large basil leaves, I typically use Sweet or Genovese basil; but don't be afraid to experiment with your favorite.
• 1 large tomato that has been sliced and seeds removed. I use Heirloom tomatoes, usually something like a beefsteak or kumato which are both known for being more "meaty" than "seedy."

In a blender or food processor mix ingredients together.

Note: If using a blender, blend on a chop speed at first stopping every 30 seconds or so to mix the ingredients together and get rid of air pockets, then switch to a more smooth speed to make it creamy. Keep blending until it is a very smooth hummus like texture.

Return to Recipe Index