Lebanese Chard Stalk Hummus
Source: Tara Duggan, Root-to-Stalk Cooking
Recipe Type: Appetizers and Sides | Seasons: Autumn, Spring, Summer, Winter
This recipe was demonstrated for CUESA’s Market to Table program on August 31, 2013.
In the Mediterranean, chard stalks are used in a dip similar to hummus, in place of the standard chickpeas, cooked and pureed with tahini, garlic, lemon, and olive oil. Paula Wolfert’s Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean and Clifford Wright’s Mediterranean Vegetables both include recipes for it. Here is my version, which you can serve with flatbread.
Makes 1 cup
INGREDIENTS
6 to 8 ounces chard stalks, from 14 to 16 ounces of whole chard, trimmed and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the top
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
PREPARATION
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the stalks until very tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Drain.
2. Place the garlic in a food processor and pulse until chopped. Add the chard stalks and puree, then add the remaining ingredients and process until very smooth.
3. Serve right away in a shallow bowl, drizzled with olive oil. The hummus can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature.
Farmers Market Ingredients