Highway Hummus Platter

Who:

Chef Justin Finney, Highway Restaurant & Bar

Instagram: 

@HighwayHamptons

Chef Finney’s Guest-Worthy Recipe:

Highway Hummus Platter

Why?

“We love this dish for many reasons. Not only is it delicious, but it speaks to so much of what we do here at Highway. The hummus platter has been on the menu since we opened, but has evolved depending on the season and available ingredients. As we have continued to grow as a restaurant, so has this dish. I believe it to be guest worthy because it highlights a wide variety of the techniques we use in the kitchen — grilling, pickling, poaching, frying, use of fresh ingredients, etc. And, as a dish to share, it offers a spirit of hospitality we always hope to showcase here at the restaurant.”

Ingredients/Directions:

For the hummus 

500 g cooked chickpeas (drained, pureed)

250 g tahini

10 g salt

5 g citric acid

100 g crushed ice

Combine all ingredients in a mixer with the whisk attached. Mix on high until smooth.

For the salsa

4 cases Roma tomatoes

1/4 bunch of cilantro

1/2 jalapeño

1 tsp cumin (ground)

1 Tbsp salt

Chop all vegetables and run through the meat grinder. Finish the salsa with cumin and salt.

For the toasted pine nuts 

1/2 c of nuts

Toast Pine nuts at 350 degrees for 7 minutes

For the Tahini 

1/2 c tahini

2 c water

2 Tbsp salt

1 tsp citric acid

Combine all ingredients in food processor and pulse until smooth.

For the grilled eggplant salad 

3 large eggplant

2 Roma tomatoes

1/2 c extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp salt

Grill the eggplant for one hour, rotating every 15 minutes. When the eggplant has cooled, remove the flesh from the charred skin. Chop the tomatoes and pulse in the food processor. Chop the eggplant with a bench knife until smooth. Finally, combine all the ingredients in a bowl.

For the pickled vegetables 

1 head cauliflower

2 large carrots

1 bunch celery

8 c distilled vinegar

1 c salt

1/2 c sugar

1/2 Tbsp turmeric

First cut all the vegetables into similar size. In a large pot, combine the vinegar, salt, sugar and turmeric. Bring everything to a boil and add the carrots. When the liquid has returned to a boil, add the celery and cauliflower. Store in the cooler.

In the middle of a large plate, put hummus. Using a spoon, create a pool. Inside the pool put one tablespoon of salsa, one tablespoon pine nuts, one tablespoon tahini, chopped parsley, extra virgin olive oil, and cayenne. On a separate plate, arrange the eggplant salsa and pickles. Grill pita and serve on side plate.