cajun who moos

This appetizer is rather an odd admixture of Acadian and Arabic ideas that I rhapsodized upon from an item, Cajun Hummus, that I found listed in a New Orleans restaurant menu. I did not order it then, but I surmised that it would be how a Cajun would make the Hummus.

Hummus is the Arabic word for ‘chickpeas’, but it also names one of the oldest known prepared foods, with a history in the Middle East reaching back into antiquity. The recipe below does not contain chick peas (although it could as easily be made with them) because I like beans better. Additionally, I reduced the olive oil and omitted tahini for caloric reasons.

• 1 can white beans
• 4 cloves garlic, diced
• ½ cup onion, diced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1½ tsp <salt>
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp ancho or pasilla chile powder
• ¼ tsp powdered thyme
• ¼ tsp dried basil
• ¼ tsp powdered bay leaf
• 1 tsp low-sodium Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup fresh parsley
• cauliflower flat bread †

Drain the beans and place them in a food processor. Add the onion, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and sesame oil. Pulse until the mixture is smooth. Add the remaining ingredients, except the parsley, and pulse again, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until the mixture is smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings and lemon juice if needed.

Add the fresh parsley and quick pulse until the parsley is finely chopped.

Pour into a serving dish and accompany with flatbread, or with chips or crackers.