This hummus is so easy to make but I had a hard time making it.
A few weeks ago I collect four of the cutest sugar pumpkins ever to eventually roast. To save room on the kitchen counters, I placed them around the fireplace in the living room. So cute and Fall-ee.
I kept postposing sacrificing them to the oven because they made me happy looking at them just where they were.
Last weekend I was hit with the cold hard reality the clock is running out in my herb garden. this fact finally propelled me into roasting them. Albeit with a tear in my eye.
Once I was at it I couldn’t stop. I was a pumpkin roasting maniac. I roasted all four of the little beauties, puréed the flesh and roasted the seeds.
Now it’s time to get to work on what to make with all that sweet lovely roasted pumpkin purée. First up is this tarragon pumpkin hummus. I have a guest visiting for a few weeks from California who is a healthy eater. This is great to have in the fridge to snack on.
The recipe includes fresh tarragon (from my garden) and I also used homemade tarragon infused kosher salt. If I really wanted to go tarragon crazy I would have used some of my homemade tarragon olive oil but I didn’t want the tarragon to overwhelm the pumpkin flavor.
The roasted pumpkin and tarragon flavors are spectacular together. Love the result and will happily make this again when our supply runs out.
You’ll find me in the markets this weekend looking for cute replacement pumpkins.
- 1 sugar or pie pumpkin
- 2- 15.5 ounce cans of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
- 1 – 15.5 ounce can of roasted pumpkin purée (I used an empty can from the chick peas to measure out the pumpkin)
- 1 tablespoon tarragon infused kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/3 cup toasted and salted pumpkin seeds
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place the whole pumpkin on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and roast for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and carefully slice off the stem and cut the pumpkin into quarters.
- Return the pieces to the oven and roast for another 40 minutes or until you can easily run a fork through the flesh and skin of the pumpkin.
- Remove the pumpkin pieces from the oven and let cool completely.
- Scrape out the stringy flesh and seeds and set aside.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh and transfer to a food processor. Discard or compost the outer skins.
- Purée the pumpkin flesh in the processor until smooth.
- To roast the seeds, follow these excellent instructions on Oh She Glows.
- Rinse and drain the chick peas in a colander.
- Working in small batches, separate the white waxy skins from the chickpeas. This is an optional step but removing these creates a smoother and creamier hummus.
- In a small bowl use a fork or mini whisk to blend together the tarragon salt, chili pepper, garlic powder and chopped fresh tarragon.
- Place the naked chick peas in a food processor.
- Add the pumpkin and pulse until almost combined.
- Add the olive oil, tahini and lemon juice and process on high speed until combined.
- Throw in the spice herb mix and process until smooth.
- Add the pumpkin seeds and process again.
- Taste and add more salt if desired.
- Transfer the hummus to a pretty bowl and serve or place in an airtight plastic container and refrigerate until serving.
