Cafe Mint's Hummus with Spicy Lamb and Caramelised Onions

Hugh Foster from Cafe Mint, Surry Hills

Ingredients

Hummus

• 4 cups hot chick peas + 1 ½ cups stock liquid
• ¾ cup tahini
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons good quality salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¾ cup olive oil

Spicy Lamb Mince

• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small red onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
• 1kg extra lean lamb mince
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon maras pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried mint
• 1 tablespoon allspice
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 cup pinenuts
• 1 teaspoon Baharat spice mix
• ¼ cup pomegranate molasses

Caramelised Pomegranate Onions

• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons soft brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

Sumac, extra toasted pinenuts and extra virgin olive oil, to serve
Turkish bread, olive oil and za’atar to serve

Method

1. To cook the chickpeas soak in cold water overnight; drain well then place into a large saucepan and cover with fresh water. Boil for 2 hours or until tender.
2. Add tahini and garlic into processor. Process for 3-4 seconds. Add lemon juice and process for about 6-7 seconds or until thickened. Add warm chickpeas, while processing add liquid until almost smooth, scraping sides of bowl once if needed.
3. Add salt, pepper, cumin. Process again. While processing slowly add oil until very smooth. Set aside until needed.
4. Heat oil in a pan over a medium heat, add onions and cook, stirring, until they start to soften, add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add mince to pan and cook, breaking up the meat as you stir until browned all over. Add the peppers, cumin, mint, allspice and paprika and stir to coat. Reduce heat and cook for about 30 minutes.  If the mixture gets a bit too dry add a little water.
5. Once cooked add the pinenuts, Baharat and pomegranate molasses and cook for a further 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile to make the caramelised onions, cook onions and oil in a non-stick frying pan over a low heat until the onions are quite soft. Add sugar and molassess and cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture has caramelised. 
7. To serve, spoon a generous amount of hummus onto deep serving dishes, sprinkle with sumac and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, spoon over meat and top with onion mixture and extra pinenuts.
8. Serve with toasted Turkish bread drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with za’atar.

Tip: All spices can be purchased from good spice shops such as Herbie’s Spices

To watch Hugh make this stunning dish click here