At Ēma, Lettuce Entertain You’s new Mediterranean hot spot, chef CJ Jacobson flavors hummus with just about anything—be it peas, mint, olives, or caramelized onions. When the weather cools down, he reaches for sweet, creamy kabocha squash and warm baking spices.
CJ Jacobson’s Roasted Squash Hummus
Yield:4 cups
Active Time:25 minutes
| 1 | Kabocha squash (3 to 5 pounds) |
| 2 cups | Garbanzo beans |
| ¼ cup | Water |
| Juice of half a lemon | |
| ¼ tsp. | Cinnamon |
| ⅛ tsp. | Nutmeg |
| ½ tsp. | Ground cumin |
| 1 tsp. | Brown sugar |
| Olive oil | |
| Salt |
1. Cut the squash into quarters and core it, saving the seeds and discarding the pulp. Coat the flesh side with olive oil and season with salt, and roast the squash at 325 degrees for 90 minutes. Scoop out the flesh and cut into cubes.
2. Toss the seeds in olive oil and salt; roast for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
3. In a food processor, purée the squash and the beans with the water, lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, spices, and brown sugar. Season with salt to taste, and add more olive oil as needed to create a smoother texture.
4. Garnish hummus with the toasted seeds.
Tip:If you can’t find kabochas, swap in butternut or acorn squash, a cooking pumpkin, or 2 cups of canned pumpkin purée.