COOKING with CANNABIS
Fresh Hummus ,
The Everyday Dish by Chef Dana Cunningham
We are in full-fledged farm mode now . It is always so exciting to see everything starting to grow tall and produce the first fruits of summer . Lucky for us , we have a greenhouse that helps us get a leg-up this time of year . We do have a few trees in our greenhouse that survived the winter . It was strictly an experiment , though , because we had no idea what would happen . We have two banana trees , one lemon , and one lime tree hanging out in the greenhouse . I would love to grab a fig tree and throw it in there , too , maybe an orange tree . If you don ’ t have a greenhouse , you can absolutely do this inside your home . I have met someone who has kept a lemon tree alive and producing for several years . He keeps it outside when it is warm and then moves it into a sunny spot inside during the winter . He says it works great !
All of this is so much fun , but how about an Avocado tree ? Have you ever tried to get one of those seeds to sprout ? It takes a bit of patience , but it can be done . Avocado trees grow to be the size of a small ornamental tree in your yard , like a cherry tree . A regular avocado tree might be too big for the greenhouse , so I would probably purchase a dwarf variety that can be found online and at the local nursery . Avocado trees are also self-pollinating , which means you do not need a pair of them to produce fruit ! Only one tree is required . They also thrive in tropical climates . Here in Kansas City , that would be about half the year outside and the rest of the year inside . With our humidity levels in the summer , it sure does feel a bit tropical sometimes . The thought of having homegrown Avocados is exciting and delicious ! But until I have an Avocado tree producing fruit , I will continue to buy Avocados at the store .
Now that we have our fresh Avocados , this hummus recipe is so easy and delish that I could eat it every day for breakfast , lunch , and dinner . You can also eat it with about anything . I usually cut up whatever veggies I have in the fridge and dip , but you can also spread this on some toast and enjoy it that way .
For the infusion , we are going to add some infused olive oil . Olive oil is already a part of a traditional hummus recipe . You can also leave the infused olive oil out if you choose and just drizzle it on top of each serving after you have it separated . This is , of course , a better way to keep your dosing under control .
Let ’ s get to it , shall we ? By the way , if you have an Instapot , it will turn dry beans and chickpeas into cooked in just an hour . It ’ s a lifesaver ! Cook ’ s tip : you can peel the chickpeas if you want . It is a tedious task for sure , but it will result in a smoother hummus in the end . It is up to you , though !
Ingredients
1 , 15 oz can or 1 ½ cup of cooked chickpeas 1 medium avocado Juice from one large lemon ¼ cup of tahini , or add a little more olive oil if you don ’ t have tahini . 1 garlic clove , minced 2 tablespoons of olive oil , infused or not infused ½ teaspoon of ground cumin 2 tablespoons of water Fetta cheese and parsley for garnish
The Method
1 . Whip the tahini . In a food processor , add the lemon juice and tahini and process for one minute . Scrape the sides of the bowl and go for just another 20 seconds .
2 . Add olive oil , garlic , cumin , and a pinch of salt to the food processor — process for 30 seconds .
3 . Take the avocado out of its skin and discard the seed . Mash it up in a separate small bowl .
4 . Add half of the avocado and half of the chickpeas to the food processor and let process for 1 minute .
5 . Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the rest of the avocado and chickpeas , then process for 1 to 2 minutes .
6 . To smooth it out so it ’ s not too thick , add 2 to 3 tablespoons of very cold water and process for another 30 seconds .
7 . Your hummus should be beautifully fluffy and smooth . Garnish as you wish and Enjoy !
Grow an avocado tree and enjoy your Hummus this summer .
Dana Cunningham is a Kansas City Native trained in French and American cuisine . She owns Infused KC , Kansas City ’ s CBD infusion think tank and focuses her culinary efforts on the farm-to-table concept at her four-acre homestead . She provides cooking classes in Kearney , MO . Follow her on Facebook , @ infusedkcmo or YouTube @ sunsetgrovekearney . Get your CBD at , www . infusedkc . com .
42 May 2024