Friday, May 27, 2011

Starving Artist Series: Edamame Hummus




Welcome back to the Museum of Modern Appetizers (MOMA).
You have entered the Edamame Hummus exhibition. I hope you enjoyed the Beet Hummus show. Students and seniors are still free, but if you didn’t buy the $100 annual membership for unlimited visits to Lentil Breakdown, there is another $12 suggested donation. Just leave your credit card number in the comments below. If you contributed before, I still have your 16 digits, ‘k?

Please don’t touch the art or the alarm will sound. Let us begin.

This colorful Edamame Hummus on a Cheater’s Lavash Cracker canvas is an interpretive work from the Japanese school of Soybean Arts. The immature soybean replaces the garbanzo bean from the popular Legume school (technically the soybean is a legume, but they represent two different hummus movements). A cool, green palette is punctuated by forest-green flecks of cilantro for an eye-popping presentation and full-bodied bite. Like the vibrant Beet Hummus, lemon zest brightens the work, and olive oil creates a lustrous finish—if like most artists, you choose to use oil as your medium. The edamame on its own is rather muted, so plenty of chopped cilantro, coriander, cumin and lemon zest are essential to balance the composition.

This Edamame Hummus in green can be curated with the complementary Beet Hummus in fuchsia for a glorious group show. In fact, it's likely the artist will be so fêted, a film will be made in her honor. That’s what happened to an artist who worked with fish. You may have seen the movie—Pollock.


Starving Artist Statement

“Ahem. Did you read my starving artist statement from the Beet Hummus exhibition? If so, then why do I still have this day job? Pony up, rich benefactors! How do you expect me to create masterpieces like this when I’m cooped up in a corporate cube all day? Sure, groveling is unattractive, but the future of culinary art is in your hands, wealthy patrons. Ok. Gotta go eat some of this art history-making hummus. Am still starving.”

—L.B.


Edamame Hummus Recipe

½ pound frozen shelled edamame (1 ½ cups)

¼ cup sesame tahini

¼ cup water

½ tsp lemon zest, grated

¾ of a lemon, juiced (about 3 tbsp)

1 garlic clove, chopped

¾ tsp salt

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp coriander

2 tsp olive oil

½ cup packed cilantro, chopped


Boil the beans in salted water for 4 to 5 minutes.

In a food processor, purée everything except the olive oil. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. When mixture is smooth and with the motor running, drizzle in the oil until it’s absorbed.

Hummus will keep for about a week in the fridge.


Related Links:

Starving Artist Series: Beet Hummus

Cheater’s Lavash Crackers

Black-eyed Pea Hummus

Orange-infused Beets with Walnuts

Tri-colored Potato Salad Provencal

Sautéed Rainbow Chard

8 comments:

  1. Another tasty installment of the starving artist series...I like it! I'm going to have to try that cheater's lavash, too.

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  2. I think I am developing a taste for modern art. No more salami and cheese for me.

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  3. 5555-1287-2584-2984 exp. 6/6

    Now, send me some hummus!

    [K]

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  4. Kim: What's your 3-digit security code? ; )

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  5. I'm digging all your versions of hummus. And, they all look tempting on that lavash.

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  6. totally getting an annual membership to this MOMA... I'm a first timer to your blog (saw your name from Greg's summer post list - I am on there 2) and can't wait to start diggin' your archives. I already like you. You're spiffy!

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  7. Amelia: Welcome! Thanks for visiting!

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  8. This is brilliant. I, too, want a membership to MOMA. Is this a traveling show? Can't wait to see the next pieces. :-)

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