Carrot & Orange Hummus

Written by CUBBin the Kitchen Published on August 16, 2019 in Recipes, Snacks & Sides

I have always liked hummus and in fact have never come across a hummus I didn’t enjoy. I particularly like a hummus that has a sweeter component for example red pepper, or caramelised onion. I do enjoy the citrusy grassiness of lemon and coriander, all of these though you can find very easily in shops. I started playing around with my own combinations and now have a host of hummus’ that I can call on in times of need. The first one I’d like to introduce you to is my Carrot & Orange Hummus.

Carrot & orange is flavour pairing I first came across in the crew bar of the cruise ship I worked on. It came in the form of a fruit juice and quickly became one of my favourite drinks on-board. For this hummus I use both roasted and raw carrot. The roasted carrots have a yielding sweetness whilst the raw provide this hummus with a more interesting texture and fresh flavour.

ingredients for carrot and orange hummus

Then in rolls the orange. Acidic and sharp juice, that must be freshly squeezed, carrying the zest fragrant with the oils from the skin. This peps up the carrot and forces it to sing sweet songs.

Chickpeas bring their own meaty quality to this hummus. Being the celebrant that marries the carrot and orange. The smoothing characteristic of chickpeas settles any dispute the two may have and brings everything together with the help of tahini.

Apart from roasting the carrots this takes no time at all and let’s be honest, you don’t have to do much with the carrots, just roast in a hot oven. Once roasted and cooled then combine with the other ingredients and blitz to your desired consistency.I like my hummus to be creamy with a little texture. Too smooth however will take it into a chilled soup territory. If you are looking for a carrot soup recipe, check out my carrot and coriander soup.

This carrot & orange hummus pairs well with my garlic & fennel chips and really does make your guests feel like you have slaved away for them when in actual fact its been the work of mere moments. Try this today and see if you can go back to shop bought.

Let me know what you served it with in the comments below. Share your pictures with me on Instagram @cubbinthekitchen or #CUBBintheKitchen for a chance to be featured in my stories.

Carrot & Orange Hummus

Perfect as an appetiser or a snack, great for guests and packed with flavour

4 Carrots
120 g Drained Chickpeas (half a can)
Zest of Half an Orange
1 tbsp Orange Juice
1.5 tbsp Tahini
0.5 tsp Paprika
8-10 tbsp Water

Preheat the oven to 200°C
Peel all 4 of the carrots
Chop 3 into batons roughly 2 inches.
Place into a roasting tin mix with oil, sprinle with salt and pepper and cover with foil.
Roast for 15 mins covered with foil.
Remove the foil and roast for a further 20 mins.
Grate the raw Carrot.
Zest and juice the orange.
Take your drained chickpeas and place between two sheets of paper towels and rub briskly – this helps remove the membrane from the chickpeas giving you a creamier base.
Remove the remaining membranes from the chickpeas.
Take your chickpeas, carrots (roasted and raw) the orange juice and zest, paprika and tahini put into a food processor and blitz. This will not be smooth and creamy yet.
Add the water two tablespoons at a time and continue to blitz until you reach your desired consistency. You may need more water or a little less.

LEFTOVERS TIP

There are so many uses for hummus; I love adding this to salads, serving with falafel or even in a sandwich in place of butter or mayonnaise. A layer under cheese on toast also is a lovely snack.
Mix hummus with cooked barley, rice & spelt serve with roasted squash, grilled halloumi, rocket and room temperature roast chicken – the perfect autumnal salad dish.