12 Days of Meyers - Spicy Hummus

When the Austin Food Blogger Alliance was first created back in 2011, we had an open cocktail party to not only introduce this new group to the local food bloggers, but also to give the bloggers a chance to meet each other and to hopefully get them excited about joining this one-of-a-kind alliance. It was at this event that I first met Hilah.  She was standing at the bar and I was instantly drawn to her as I was already a fan/follower of her online cooking show.  I went over and introduced myself as I wanted to see if she was that same wicked-cool chick in person as she was on her show. I was very happy to learn that she was. Everything you see on her wildly popular show is exactly how she is when y'all are just hanging out with her.  Along with her producer and husband Christopher Sharpe, the couple have created a strong following for their show. As wildly popular as she is, I'm impressed that she has not let stardom go to her head as she is still grounded, funny and adorable, and all while cooking up a storm in her cool orange kitchen. Did I mention she was just voted #1 of the top 10 Austin Food Blogs by the Austin Chronicle?  I'm happy to be able to share her recipe here for yummy Meyer Hummus as today's guest blogger.  And if you have not had a chance to check out her site, please click on her link below for a fun cooking 101. Or go here for a list of her cookbooks to order.

Hummus was one of the very first video recipes I posted. It's a staple in my house because it's quick and cheap to make, it's high in fiber and relatively low in calories (at least the way I make it, it is) and is a wonderful snack with some celery sticks and even a decent stand-in for dinner when you're rushed or lazy or home alone with no one to judge you for eating hummus on crackers in your undies on the couch, sprinkling crumbs amongst the cushions as you yuk it up with the TV. In the years since publishing the original recipe, I've gotten innumerable comments to the effect of: I never knew hummus was so easy to make.

And that is how I wreak my vengeance upon manufacturers of over-priced, store-bought hummus!

I'm kidding, what kind of insane person would take personal offense to a hummus company?

For this spicy variation on hummus, I used plenty of sweet-tart Meyer lemon juice and cut down on the olive oil by, like, a whole lot. This makes it thrifty for the change purse and lower in fat and calories, duh, so maybe it will help out with those New Year resolutions, too. If you like the buttery texture of traditional hummus, feel free to add another 1/4 cup of olive oil to the mix. 

Harissa is a spicy condiment from North Africa made from ground dried red chiles, caraway, cumin, coriander, garlic, salt and enough olive oil to bind them together. It's divine. I happen to have a tube of it (pictured) that I got from World Market, but if you can't find it, it's very easy to make your own and it's delicious in this and as a rub for grilled meat or fish, or an addition to salad dressing (especially grain salads). If you've got a modern copy of The Joy of Cooking, there's a recipe in it that I use and is the best recipe I've tried for homemade harissa. 

Spicy Meyer Lemon Hummus

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 Meyer lemon (or 2 standard lemons)
1/4 cup water
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons harissa (or less for less heat)
1/2 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt (reduce or omit if using canned chickpeas)

Instructions
Drain chickpeas (and rinse if using canned) and place in blender or food processor.
Zest the lemon to get 1/2 teaspoon zest and add that; juice the lemon to get 1/4 cup lemon juice and add that, straining the seeds out.
Add all other ingredients and pulse a few times to get started, then blend to a smooth puree. You may want or need to add some more water or olive oil for a thinner hummus.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to a week.

Yield: about 2 cups

Check out more of Hilah below.
HilahCooking.com

Find me on Youtube! http://youtube.com/hilahcooking

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hilahcooking

Check out my cookbook! http://learntocookbook.com/

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/HilahCooking

And sometimes I use Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/hilahcooking/

12 Days of Meyer - Day 12: "When Life Gives You Meyers..."

When life gives you an amazing lemon tree that produces more fruit than one can possibly use, it only seems right to share the bounty with others. I had the pleasure of being the Meyer Fairy this past month because our tree had one of those super-productive years. I gave them to friends, neighbors, family members, and some of my favorite food bloggers. I loved how excited they were to receive a big bag of them. Several friends even bartered their own specialties with me which was such a treat. They were all so creative with what they did with the lemons and some even blogged about there Meyer loot. Below you will find stories and links to some of my favorite bloggers and what they did with their lemons. I hope you enjoy reading their entries as much as I did! At this point, I think it's quite possible I could commit to writing a blog solely about Meyer lemons. Unfortunately, I must get back to reality as my tree has been picked almost clean and the cold weather marks an end to another season. Good thing I have a freezer full of freshly juiced juice to last me the rest of the year... I'm jus' sayin'!

First up, check out this trailer if you are in Austin down on Rainey Street. You are sure to get a delicious Persian treat. Chef Nanez is the culinary wonder behind Wholly Kabob and every day she has something new and tasty to accompany her regular menu. She used her Meyers to make a salad shirazi and saffron chicken and I'm hungry just thinking about it.

Next, my friend Carla over at Austin Urban Gardens bartered with me, offering some yummy canned goods from her pantry. Her blog keeps you in the know with all that is in season, as well as what you should be growing in your gardens. She is also the one who is always up on what's happening with the local farmers here in Austin. I encourage you to check out her site.

This next blogger is the cutest little Southern sweetheart whom I originally met through facebook and have recently gotten to know in person. When Katie received her lemons she went home and created this lovely little appetizer. I especially love how she admits the first round was not as she had hoped but kept at it until it was perfected. She is as cute and sassy in her writing as she is in person, so check out her blog if you get a chance.

If you follow me on facebook you should know that I re-post this next lady's recipes on a regular basis. She is a very dear friend and if you are looking for a blog that you can just pull a seat up to, start reading, and instantly feel like you are with her in her kitchen, well then this is the one. I can personally say that she is exactly as she writes. Down home, witty, sassy, and full of Southern charm. If Maggie's pictures don't draw you in at the start, then her lovely stories will. I promise it will be hard to leave her site. This gremolata recipe is just one of her many lemon recipes that she used the Meyers for. I hope you enjoy Notes From Maggies Farm as much as I do.

Tiffany from Trailer food Diaries created several flavors of lemon curd using her lemons. If you have not had a chance to read her latest cookbook I highly recommend it as it's chock full of local trailer food from here in Austin.

My sassy and witty friend Hilah over at HilahCooks bumped up the old family favorite Lemon Bars by using Meyers. She also made some Limoncello and shared some of her stash of lemons with another friend (I love that). Her videos will make you laugh and you will always learn something new whether you are a beginner in the kitchen or a pro. Her printed cookbook was released in 2012 and it's as witty and informative as her popular videos.

My favorite Hip Girl Kate took no time at all to use her box of lemons. As the queen of hip homemaking she quickly used her Meyers to create a yummy lemon strawberry paletas (recipe will be in her upcoming new book out in the Spring of 2014). She also made this yummy marmalade and encouraged a friend towards canning by sharing some of her stash.  If you are looking for a unique gift for the new homemaker/bride or even a college student that wants to be hip in this modern world then I suggest getting your hands on this book.

Addie is our local food writer over at the Austin Statesman. She took 2 loads of lemons with her, one for her family and one for her Mom in Missouri, whom she was visiting while on Christmas break. She made her Mom some limoncello and then just last night finished up making a delightful Meyer lemon tart.

My personal trainer Jeremy from 10 RM Fitness received his first bag of Meyers from me in early December. He had never had them before, so he was obviously blown away by the perfect balance of lemon and tangerine flavors in these sweet orbs. Besides eating them whole (yes you can do that) he kept a supply of lemon water going for his clients. Of course, I had to bring him another bag as he is now sold on the nutritional value and deliciousness of this lemon.

Check out these great ideas from MadBetty. I gave her a bag after Christmas and she has been busy busy. She sent me a note which I think explains it all - "I've been squeezing them into everything! They are the juiciest Meyers I've ever seen. I used the juice in a vegan mac and cheese dish, (stay tuned for the post) over fish and shrimp, in a pasta sauce with garlic, tomatoes and white wine, in herbal tea with honey, and in my smoothies. Mr Betty and I have been enjoying the lemony goodness so much!"

My dear pastry chef friend Christy over at epicuriousities took her lemons and got to work on some up-coming top secret recipes for her day job at cookingplanit.com, however, if you can't wait for that recipe, then check out this link for her special lemon tart recipe.

Finally, South Austin Foodie took her Meyers and made Christmas gifts with them. She gave me a gift of Meyer lemon candied ginger scones and - Oh My! - those were probably the best scones I have ever had. She usually writes only about restaurants, however, on this special occasion she was willing to share her scone recipe with my readers. Thank you a hundred times over as these really are a delicious treat. If you need to know where to eat in South Austin, please check out her blog and by all means try this recipe.

Crystalized Ginger and Lemon Scones
SouthAustinFoodie

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 ¼ cups white flour
⅓ cup sugar (can omit if glazing)
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt (Redmond Real)
1 tablespoon lemon zest (more, if using Meyer lemons)
1 ½ sticks frozen butter, cut into pats, and halved
4 - 5 ounces crystallized ginger, chopped (can do in food processor), equaling ⅔ cup
1 cup heavy cream (use less if using regular flour, not whole wheat), plus additional for brushing tops (optional if glazing)

If glazing:
½ - ¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted
½ - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 – 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In food processor, combine flours, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Add zest and butter, pulsing until it becomes a fine meal; pour into large bowl
Stir in ginger.
Make a well in the center, and add cream, stirring gently to combine.
Turn dough onto counter with Silpat; gently knead and gather into a ball.
Pat the dough out into a rectangle, about 1” tall (approximately 8” x 8”); can use knife or bench scraper to cut into pieces.
Transfer Silpat to baking sheet; bake for about 18 minutes, until golden.
If glazing, combine all ingredients and drizzle over the tops once cool.

Just in case you missed any of the 12 Days of Meyer posts, I've added the links to each post below for an easy review. Also, I always love broadening my Meyer repertoire so if you have a recipe, please feel free to share the link or any other creative ideas you have for them in the comments below.  Sweet or Savory, you just can't go wrong with these globes of sunshine.

Day 1 - Preserved Meyer Lemons
Day 2 - Meyer Water
Day 3 - Meyer Muffins
Day 4 - Meyer Thyme Butter
Day 5 - Meyer Household Cleaner
Day 6 - Meyer Hummus
Day 7 - Chicken Piccata
Day 8 - Meyer Sponge Pudding
Day 9 - Meyer Margarita
Day 10 - Candied Meyers
Day 11 - Meyer Blackberry Phosphate
Day 12 - Meyer Round-Up

If you're interested, here are some older posts highlighting Meyer lemons:
Meyer Lemon Shortbread
Bob's Limoncello
Lady Bird's Lemon Bundt Cake
Lemonade Pie
Ginger Lavender Lemonade
Vanilla-Infused Lemonade
Meyer Lemon Tartlets