About 
Hi there, I'm Rose. I love to cook food - and eat it. If you have any questions concerning any of my recipes, drop me a line at:
Contact:
rose [at] avocadobravado.net
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Some people have their favorite recipes and stick to them forever. When I talk to my dad and he tells me he’s making squash or chicken for dinner, I know exactly what he’s talking about. I try keep things constantly changing in the kitchen, but there are a few recipes I rarely ever stray from – mujaddara, for example. As much as I love the traditional hummus bi tahina (hummus with tahini), I’m constantly looking for new ways to reinvent it. I’ve been accused of being a hummus purist and even a snob, but that’s simply not true. I’ve just made it a personal mission to inform people that hummus means “chickpeas” in Arabic. It’s silly to call beet hummus, white bean hummus, edamame hummus, lima bean hummus, etc. hummus if the recipes don’t contain chickpeas. If you see a crazy lady rocking back and forth at a bus stop in San Francisco mumbling under her breath, “hummus means chickpeas in Arabic…” That’s me. Feel free to say hi.
Usually when I prepare hummus, I use canned garbanzo beans and simmer them in a saucepan with some water for 15-20 minutes. I find that this method helps the beans blend easier and improves the texture of the hummus. Plus, I love popping a few garbanzo beans into my mouth. They’re melt-in-your mouth delicious after simmering for 15 minutes or so. There are Syrian grandmothers who swear by soaking the garbanzos overnight and discarding the skins of the beans for the creamiest hummus possible, but I’ll leave that time consuming method to the experts (grandmothers, that is).
I’ve been on a garlic roasting kick lately. I’d say we’re going through 3 to 4 bulbs of garlic a week… and I have the breath to prove it. I’ve been adding roasted garlic to everything. Potatoes, toast, salad dressings, and now hummus. Apparently, there is such a thing as too much raw garlic. Not really for me, but for Cory. So I added roasted garlic to this batch of hummus. With roasted garlic, you get the garlic taste without at all being overpowering. The fresh herbs add a nice kick and a lovely pale green color.
Hummus with Roasted Garlic and Herbs
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1 bulb of garlic, roasted
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 15-oz can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained plus 1 cup of reserved water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini (roasted is best, but raw is fine)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped chives, plus extra for garnish
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, plus extra for garnishing
salt, to taste
Preheat oven to 350F. Slice the top of the garlic bulb open, revealing the tips of the cloves. Place the garlic on a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle a teaspoon of oil over it. Wrap the bulb in the aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast for 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the hummus. Drain and rinse the can of beans. Toss the garbanzos into a small sauce pan with a cup of water and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside. Juice lemons, set aside tahini, and chop the herbs. Add the lemon juice, chives, parsley, salt, and a ladleful of garbanzos with some reserved water. Pulse together in a food processor or blender. Continue adding garbanzos a ladleful at a time and blending, adding more water until needed. Continue this method until all the garbanzos have been blended.
By now, the garlic should be ready. Open up the foil and let the garlic cool until easy enough to handle with your hands. Pop the cloves out of the bulb into a small bowl. Take a fork and smash the garlic until formed into a paste. Toss the paste into the blender and pulse until thoroughly blended. Transfer the hummus to a large bowl. Add the tahini to the bowl and mix thoroughly, this will thicken the hummus considerably. Taste the hummus, adding a couple more pinches of salt or lemon juice, if needed.
Serve with warm flat bread, pita chips, or your favorite raw vegetables. Garnish with olive oil, extra freshly chopped herbs, and spices (thyme, sumac, za’atar, paprika, etc).
Try the recipe index for more ideas.
I used to think tomatillos were something that existed only in legend and myth. Okay, not really, but it certainly felt that way when I lived in Michigan. Tomatillos are related to tomatoes and are about the size of apricots. They mature inside of a papery husk, which are inedible and should be removed before eating. They are also meatier than tomatoes and have a tart flavor. Tomatillos are the key ingredient to salsa verde (literally, green sauce), which is frequently used as a dip for tortilla chips, a sauce for tacos, grilled meats, and fish. I used this batch of salsa verde to accompany both tacos and burritos, but I’m already thinking of various ways to use the leftovers (pork! chili! stew!).
Oh, and here are two chubby corgis wearing sunglasses and ties. Just because.
Tomatillo Salsa Verde
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1 1/2 pounds tomatillos
1/2 onion
1-3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 cup cilantro
1-3 peppers (jalapeño and serrano peppers are usually used, but I had anaheim peppers on hand, so I just used those), chopped. Leave in the seeds, if you prefer a hotter salsa.
pinch of sugar
pinch of cumin
salt, to taste
Set the oven to broil and cut tomatillos in half. Place them cut-side down in a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the skins are lightly blackened. Remove tomatillos from the oven and set aside.
When the tomatillos are cool enough to handle, toss them into a food blender and pulse until blended. Add the rest of the ingredients, onions, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, peppers, sugar, cumin, and salt. Pulse until blended. Add a little more salt, if necessary. Transfer to a container and refrigerate, if not using right away.
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Since making gyros a couple weeks ago, I’ve had tzatziki on my mind. The problem is, we never have Greek yogurt on hand for very long because I eat it all by the spoonful straight from the container almost right away (yeah, I’m a barbarian. So what?). I knew that if I were going to make meatballs with tzatziki it would have to be right away, or the yogurt would be consumed in less than 48 hours. I tweaked my basic meatball recipe to include lots of fresh parsley and some dried oregano and the results were fantastic. I used to think the addition of bread and milk to meatballs were just there for filler, but they also keep the meatballs fluffy and tender. I served these with a green salad and we ate them for dinner, but they would make a great appetizer as well.
Meatballs with Tzatziki
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1 lb ground beef (or 1/2 ground beef, 1/2 ground pork)
1 small onion, finely diced
1-3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup breadcrumbs or 1 slice of day old bread (crust removed), cut into small pieces
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt & pepper, to taste
at least 3/4 cup of tzatziki, for serving
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, soak breadcrumbs in milk. Meanwhile, chop the onion, garlic, and parsley. Beat an egg in a small bowl. Heat oil in a large skillet, when hot add the onions and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from heat.
Add the ground meat, onion, garlic, beaten egg, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper to the large bowl and mix thoroughly by hand. Form the meatballs into the size of golf balls. If the mixture is too wet, add more bread or breadcrumbs. Place the meatballs on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet lightly brushed with oil. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until meatballs are slightly browned and no longer pink in the center. Serve hot, with a generous amount of tzatziki.
Serves 3-4
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This is my traditional hummus recipe, but with a bit of kick. I like spicy, but not spicy for the sake of spicy. I still like to taste what I’m eating, you know? I suggest starting off with a 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne or red pepper flakes and then gradually adding more to taste. If you’re going to used canned chickpeas, it’s not absolutely necessary to simmer them in a saucepan for 15-20 minutes, but the chickpeas become melt-in-your-mouth tender and ultimately easier to blend.
Spicy Hummus
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3/4 cup dried chickpeas (1.5 cups when cooked) or 1 15-oz can chickpeas (plus 1 c reserved cooking liquid)
1-2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons to 1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
a couple dashes of salt
Ideas for garnishing (optional): olive oil, chickpeas, toasted pine nuts, parsley, paprika, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, mint, ground meat.
If using dried chickpeas:
Soak chickpeas overnight in water in a large bowl.
Rinse chickpeas several times, or until the water runs clear. Place chickpeas in a large sauce pan with enough water to cover by at least an inch. Partially covered or uncovered (I have more success with uncovered), bring chickpeas to a boil and simmer for 1-1.5 hours. Drain the chickpeas, but reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
If using canned chickpeas:
Rinse the chickpeas several times. Place chickpeas in a large saucepan and boil for 15-20 minutes. Drain chickpeas, reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid and set aside.
In a food processor or blender, pulse the garlic, lemon juice, salt, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or red pepper, and tahini until blended. Add chickpeas by the handful, pulse until blended, repeat until you use the rest of the chickpeas. If the hummus is too thick, add some of the reserved cooking liquid at about a tablespoon at a time. Add more cayenne or red pepper flakes, to taste. Blend until smooth.
Store hummus in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Try the recipe index for more ideas.
In the past, I’ve had a lot of bad experiences with making falafels, fritters, and vegetable burgers (I refuse to say veggie! … Okay, well I suppose I just did. Never again). I’m not one that gives up so easily in the kitchen, though. Failure happens and cooking is a continual learning experience. I was very, very pleased with these fritters. Be sure to squeeze out some of the excess liquid from the zucchini. Don’t skip on the feta cheese, it lends a nice tang. I served the fritters with a garlic yogurt sauce spiced with a little bit of dill and paprika, though I think mint would also be a great addition.
Mücver
(adapted from Almost Turkish)
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3 zucchinis, grated
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
1.5 teaspoons paprika
red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 cup feta cheese
3/4 cup flour
Place grated zucchini in a colander and drain for at least ten minutes (I let mine drain for about a half hour). Squeeze out some of the excess water.
Beat egg in a large mixing bowl. Add parsley, dill, mint, green onions, paprika, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, pepper, cheese, and mix. Add zucchini to the bowl and mix. Slowly add flour and mix thoroughly.
Heat oil in a large frying pan. When hot, add medium sized scoops of the mixture to the pan. Work in batches, being careful to not crowd the pan. Fry each side until golden, 3-5 minutes.
Transfer the mücver to a paper-towel lined plate to drain excess oil. Serve with garlic yogurt sauce.
Makes about 10 fritters
Garlic Yogurt Sauce
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 small clove garlic, minced
a pinch of dill (optional)
paprika, for garnish
Mix together yogurt, garlic, and dill. Garnish with paprika.
Check out the recipe index for more ideas.
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