Hummus Bowls with Spiced Ground Beef and Tomatoes can be made with a trip to your pantry

Staying warm seems to have been the topic of conversation for days in the ICT. As if a pandemic and winter weren’t enough, now we are truly stuck inside with these frigid temps. Our families need fed three times a day, and maybe you are tired of cooking. You don’t want to go to the store because it’s just too cold to leave the warmth of your home.

Head straight to your pantry (and fridge), and hopefully you can make this dinner from what you have in there. This week’s recipe, Hummus Bowls with Spiced Ground Beef and Tomatoes, is a hearty, flavorful, simple dinner that won’t take much time. Hopefully you have a bit of pita bread, but honestly, you could eat it with any bread — or even without bread.

You may have had Hummus Shawarma at one of our many fabulous Mediterranean restaurants. In that dish, there are also sautéed onions mixed in with the beef or chicken, and I recommend using onions. Also, the tomatoes are sautéed in the restaurant version. It’s delicious either way, but maybe for these colder temps, throw those tomatoes into the pan.

Hummus makes a creamy, delicious base for this bowl, and the spiced ground beef turns an appetizer into an irresistible main dish. I recommend spending the few minutes it takes to make your own hummus. My hummus recipe follows, and it’s the “quick” version using canned garbanzo beans. The traditional way is soaking dried chickpeas overnight and boiling them.

If you do get out, stop at N&J Global Market for your hummus supplies: Tazah brand canned chickpeas (same thing as garbanzo beans), tahini sold in the unbranded quart container, pita bread and the crispy pita chips. You won’t regret sourcing these ingredients from there. The mentioned Italian Volcano brand of lemon juice can be found at Costco in a two-pack. It keeps for a long time, so don’t be intimidated by the quantity.

One last addition to this recipe would be toasted pine nuts for garnishing and that added nuttiness and crunch. I love the simplicity of this recipe and also love that you can add things to it. Another garnish if you like heat would be pickled jalapenos or pickled beets.

I hope your food, homes and hearts are warm in these days to come.

Hummus Bowls with Spiced Ground Beef and Tomatoes

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 pound ground beef

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 pint cherry tomatoes or 2 medium heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup parsley leaves with tender stems, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 batch of hummus (recipe to follow)

Extra virgin olive oil, lemon wedges, Aleppo-style pepper, hot sauce, pickles and pita (for serving)

Heat oil in a large, heavy, preferably cast-iron skillet over high heat. Pat beef dry with paper towels, then press into an even layer in skillet with a spatula. Season with coriander, pepper cinnamon and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, undisturbed, until a brown crust begins to form underneath, about 6 minutes. Turn, break beef into pieces, and continue to cook, stirring, until just cooked through, about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, toss tomatoes, parsley, lemon juice and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.

Divide hummus among shallow bowls. Using the back of a spoon, smooth into an even layer, then create a wide divot in the center. Spoon spiced beef and tomato mixture over, then drizzle with oil and sprinkle with Aleppo-style pepper, if using. Serve with lemon wedges, hot sauce, pickles and pita.

— Epicurious.com

Hummus

2 cans garbanzo beans, Tazah brand preferred

1 cup tahini, in quart container, if possible

2/3 cup bottled lemon juice, Italian Volcano brand preferred

2 – 3 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon salt

Olive oil for drizzling

Toasted pine nuts for garnish

In a bowl, microwave garbanzo beans and bean liquid for one minute. Pour beans and liquid – minus ¼ cup of liquid – into blender or food processor. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth. If hummus is too thick, add ¼ cup reserved liquid and reprocess; if not, discard. Serve with olive oil drizzled on top and toasted pine nuts alongside pita chips, pita bread and/or veggies.

— “Social Holidays and Happy Hours”

This story was originally published February 16, 2021 at 1:36 PM.