I am curious. I’ve always been curious. In high school, my friends used to call me Marie-Veut-Savoir (Marie-Wants-to-Know). There are so many interesting things to learn about, yet only a finite amount of time on this planet. How’s one to choose?
On the other hand, maybe some things are better left unknown. I used to think that people who didn’t want to know were naive. But maybe they’re on to something. Recently, I came across an interesting quote on a cartoon by David Sipress: “My desire to be well-informed is at odds with my desire to remain sane”. I was both surprised and sad at how much I recognized myself in it.
What are your thoughts on curiosity?
Hummus with Cilantro Oil & Toasted Pine Nuts
Hummus:
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt
For serving:
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
For a smoother hummus, start by peeling your chickpeas (optional). I find this process quite meditative.
In a food processor, purée the ingredients for the hummus until smooth (chickpeas, garlic, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, water and salt).
Since I do not own a food processor, I started by roughly mashing the chickpeas with a potato masher, then I added all other ingredients and puréed with a hand blender.
Cilantro oil: In a clean food processor (or mini processor in my case), purée the olive oil with the cilantro leaves until the mixture is bright green and cilantro is finely minced.
To toast pine nuts, heat a skillet over medium heat until warm. Add the nuts and toast, stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes until they are aromatic and a bit darker in colour.
For serving, spread the hummus in a shallow serving dish and smooth the top. Drizzle with the cilantro oil and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.
Delicious with crackers, bread, pita, raw vegetables, or homemade tortilla chips.
For homemade tortilla chips, preheat oven at 350 F. Cut tortillas into triangles and arrange them on a baking sheet. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake in preheated oven for 6 to 10 minutes, until they are golden.
Recipe inspired by my colleague Linda R, and adapted from Gourmet Magazine.
Anonymous
June 4, 2013Marie-Veut-Savoir, curiosity produce knowledge but do not produce wisdom….and your recipe is delicio…if ti is made with feelings…
yvonne trivedi
June 10, 2013I'm so gonna make this..it sounds so delish!
Marie-Ève
June 10, 2013It is! Let me know how you like it 🙂
Anonymous
June 20, 2013Marie-Veut-Savoir did you know?:
A cat has 32 muscles in each ear. A crocodile cannot stick out its tongue. A dragonfly has a life span of 24 hours. A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds. A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes. A snail can sleep for three years. An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain. Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until the child reaches 2 to 6 years of age. Butterflies taste with their feet. Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds. Dogs only have about 10. "Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt." February 1865 is the only month in recorded history not to have a full moon. In the last 4,000 years, no new animals have been domesticated. If the population of China walked past you, in single file the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction. If you are an average American, in your whole life, you will spend an average of 6 months waiting at red lights. It's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open. No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple. Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing. "Stewardesses" is the longest word typed with only the left hand; "lollipop" with your right. The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing.The cruise liner, QE2, moves only six inches for each gallon of diesel that it burns. The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket. The sentence: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" uses every letter of the alphabet. The winter of 1932 was so cold that Niagara Falls froze completely solid. The words 'racecar,' 'kayak' and 'level' are the same whether they are read left to right or right to left (palindromes).There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous. There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: "abstemious" and "facetious." TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.
Now you know everything!