Artisanal toasts are a growing trend and Christian Pritchard has some easy recipes to help you get in on the act.


CP’s Hummus

Ingredients

  • 1 cups dried chickpeas (the smallest you can find)
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • Juice from 1 squeezed lemons
  • 1-2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon + 1/8-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • salt
  • olive oil
  • parsley

Instructions:

  1. Pour the chickpeas over a large plate. Go over them and look for damaged grains small stones, or any other thing you would rather leave out of the plate.
  2. Wash the chickpeas several times, until the water is transparent. Soak them in clean water over night with 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Then, wash it, and soak again in tap water for a few more hours. The grains should absorb most of the water and almost double their volume.
  3. Wash the chickpeas well and put them in a large pot. Cover with water, add the rest baking soda and NO salt. Cook until the grains are very easily smashed when pressed between two fingers. It should take around 1-1.5 hours, during which it is advised to switch the water once again, and remove the peels and foam which float over the cooking water. When done, sieve the grains and keep the cooking water.
  4. Put the chickpeas into a food processor and grind well. Leave it to chill a little while before you continue.
  5. Add the tahini and the rest of the ingredients and go on with the food processor until you get the desired texture. If the Humus is too thick, add some of the cooking water. It should be thinner than the actual desired texture.
  6. Serve with some good olive oil and chopped parsley. Serve over bread

 

CP’s Great Guac!

Ingredients:

  • 3 ripe avocados
  • Teaspoon of Kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp of fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp to 1/4 cup of minced onion
  • 1 serrano chile pepper, stems and seeds removed, minced
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
  • A dash of freshly grated black pepper
  • 1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Cut avocado, remove flesh: Cut the avocados in half. Remove seed. Score the inside of the avocado with a blunt knife and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Place in a bowl.
  2. Mash with a fork: Using a fork, roughly mash the avocado. (Don't overdo it! The guacamole should be a little chunky.)
  3. Add salt, lime juice, and the rest: Sprinkle with salt and lime (or lemon) juice. The acid in the lime juice will provide some balance to the richness of the avocado and will help delay the avocados from turning brown.
  4. Add the chopped onion, cilantro, black pepper, and chiles. Chili peppers vary individually in their hotness. So, start with a half of one chili pepper and add to the guacamole to your desired degree of hotness.
  5. Remember that much of this is done to taste because of the variability in the fresh ingredients. Start with this recipe and adjust to your taste.
  6. Cover with plastic and chill to store: Place plastic wrap on the surface of the guacamole cover it and to prevent air reaching it. (The oxygen in the air causes oxidation which will turn the guacamole brown.) Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  7. Serve over Toasts (alternative)