Recipe by Tournant
Serves 8
This intensely fresh hummus dish is perfect in summer when sugar snap peas can be harvested off the vine by hand, and morel mushrooms are available to forage. These unique and full flavored mushrooms dot the edge of forests, and like to grow near ash, aspen, elm, and oak, making them available in almost every state in the US.
The addition of toasted pumpkin seeds, feta, and mint leaves, paired with a fresh loaf of crunchy bread, makes this a wonderful lunch, light dinner, or appetizer to share.
For hummus:
- 1 cup lightly toasted pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
- 1 clove garlic
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- 2 T tahini
- ½ cup EVOO
- Sea salt to taste
Soak pumpkin seeds in salted water (1tsp salt to 1 cup water) overnight.
Blanch peas in boiling salted water and shock in ice bath to preserve color.
In food processor, combine soaked pumpkin seeds, garlic, peas, lemon juice and a fat pinch of salt. Blend until smooth adding water as needed to puree. Slowly drizzle in tahini followed by olive oil to emulsify. Adjust seasoning with salt and lemon juice to taste.
For mushrooms and snap peas:
- 4 T butter
- 8oz morel mushrooms
- 1 cup sugar snap peas, sliced on the diagonal
- ½ cup sheep’s milk feta, crumbled
- 2 T toasted pumpkin seeds
- 12-18 whole mint leaves, larger leaves torn, smaller leaves left whole
- Handful of pea shoots (optional)
- 4 T EVOO
- Sea salt to taste
Heat a 12in cast iron skillet over a medium hot fire. Add the butter and swirl the pan until melted, golden and slightly toasted. Add the morel mushrooms and sauté for 1 minute or until mushrooms are seared and tender. Add snap peas and sauté 30 seconds to 1 minute more, just until peas are hot but still tender crisp. Season with sea salt and remove from heat to cool slightly.
To Serve:
On a wide shallow plate spread a liberal amount of spring pea hummus in a circle, leaving about a 1-inch distance from the rim. Pile mushroom and pea saute in the center of the hummus. Top with crumbled feta and scatter with fresh torn and whole mint leaves, toasted pumpkin seeds and pea shoots. Sprinkle with flaky salt and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with bread, crackers, toast or pita bread.
Photos by Josh Chang
