HUMMUS WITH GROUND BEEF AND PINE NUTS
Serves 4 (this recipe is based on a Neil Perry recipe and it can be served as one dish among many or separately as a Starter)
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- ½ red onion, halved and very finely sliced
- 1⁄3 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 400gm. tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 lemons
- 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste with salt
- 6 tbsp. tahini paste
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 250gms. good quality beef mince
- 1 tbsp. Turkish pepper paste* (optional)
- 2 tbsp. pine nuts, lightly toasted
- ½ cup flat-leaf parsley, julienned or roughly chopped (choice is yours)
- Sweet paprika
- Mild chilli flakes (optional)
- Flat bread to serve
Method
- Heat 3 tbsp. olive oil over a low-medium heat and fry the onion gently for about 5 minutes until golden brown, be careful not to burn it. Transfer to a bowl, add the cinnamon and set aside.
- Place a frying pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot add the beef mince and with a wooden spoon break up the mince as it cooks and season with salt. (For a Turkish twist on this dish you can now add the pepper paste and approximately ¼ cup of water. Simmer on a gentle heat until the water has completely evaporated). Now add the cooked onion and cook on a medium heat for about 10 minutes until the mince begins to crisp, then add the pine nuts.
- To make the hummus, place the chickpeas and ¼ cup water in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the juice of 1 lemon, garlic, tahini and remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. When making hummus it’s always recommend you taste it at this stage to get the right balance of sour and salty.
To serve
Spread the hummus over a large serving plate and spoon the mince over the hummus. Sprinkle with parsley, paprika and chilli (if using). Add a good grind of pepper and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the top. Serve with lemon wedges and flat bread.
*Turkish pepper paste is readily available from Turkish supermarkets.