Cooking With Maddie Newsletter #72

Beet Hummus

Hi friends!

Happy MDW! It’s officially the start of summer, and boy, oh boy, have we kicked summer off with a bang.

Earlier this month, my family spent a blissful week in Puerto Rico, where we got our fill of sunshine, sand, and ocean breeze. We ate an egregious amount of fish, beans, and rice, and more flan and tres leches cake than any one family should. We explored the colorful shops of Old San Juan, the waterfalls of El Yunque National Forest, and — my favorite — the surfing town of Rincón. Puerto Rico gave us a week of rest and relaxation, and for that, we say thank you to La Isla del Encanto.

Arriving back home, it felt like Denver welcomed us with perfect weather. The days felt longer, the sun was shining, and the evening cool was perfect for after-dinner walks around the neighborhood.

Our farmers market opened last Sunday, and clearly people were just as excited as we were because some of our favorite spots were sold out by the time we arrived. All I wanted was a Thai iced tea from Savoy Saigon, flowers from Lucky Bee, and beet hummus from Yummy Yummy Products. All of them gone!

So what did I do? Well, I decided we’ll be showing up earlier this coming Sunday, but because I’m impatient and couldn’t wait a whole week for some beet hummus, I went about making my own, and that’s the recipe I have for you today — Beet Hummus.

Now, before you write off this recipe because you think beets are disgusting, let me put on my Dwight Schrute hat and make a pitch for beets. First and foremost, beets are good for you. They’re a powerhouse of nutrients, and I’m not really sure, but I’d probably guess they’re a super food. They’re also freakin’ stunning. The color?! That alone should at least pique your curiosity. They’re sweet, earthy, and rich in flavor. And if they’re a bit too earthy for you — which, let’s be real, translates to ‘tastes like dirt’ — then let me say, in the form of hummus, the earthy-flavor is very muted, so this may just be the gateway drug for you to become a beet lover like me.

Here’s what you’ll need —

• 1 large beet

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• ½ cup tahini

• 2 lemons, zested and juiced

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ⅓ cup olive oil

• Za’atar

We’ll start by roasting the beet. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Wash and dry the beet, and rub with olive oil and salt. Wrap in a piece of aluminum foil and place on a small-size baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for one hour, or until you can easily pierce through the beet with a fork.

Set the beet aside until cooled. Wearing disposable gloves, like these, peel the skin off the beet and discard. The skin should slide right off. It’s important to wear gloves at this step because beet juice dyes everything it touches. It would also be beneficial to wear an apron for this recipe, so that you don’t ruin any clothing like I have so many times.

Cut the beet into quarters and add to a food processor. Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas, tahini, lemon zest and juice, garlic cloves, cumin, and salt. Pulse until everything is combined. It’s important to scrape drown the sides every so often, so all the beets and chickpeas are processed.

With the food processing going, slowly pour in the olive oil and blend until smooth.

Taste and adjust for salt, lemon, etc.

Serve in a bowl with a sprinkle of za’atar and olive oil. We had our beet hummus with chicken gyros, but I also highly recommend serving it alongside sliced cucumbers, carrots, celery, or pita chips.

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For what’s been giving me life, it’s been all the exciting new chapters my friends are beginning. My very best friends are getting engaged and having babies, and when I look around, I’m overcome with joy at all the good that’s happening in our lives.

It was testing yet another wedding cake recipe. This time it was a nut-free berry chantilly cake, which is definitely a contender for the big day. It was getting all our seedlings into the garden beds. I can’t wait for all the tomatoes, peppers, squash, and herbs we’ll grow this summer. It’s been all the delicious meals we’ve been whipping up — prosciutto-wrapped cantaloupe, Misoheat smothered salmon, tahini meatballs with cabbage, and big caesar salads.

It was loving every page of Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry and every minute of Dying For Sex on Hulu. Oooh and The Four Seasons on Netflix. I’m so pumped that it got renewed for another season. Bring on more Claude! And lastly, it’s been all the gorgeous flowers that are blooming in our neighborhood. My favorite part of our evening walks is admiring all the beauty around us. Well, that and seeing Charlie’s big goofy smile as he trots around the neighborhood.