Think hummus is just for dipping? This classic dish from the acclaimed Melbourne chef proves otherwise.
Tom Sarafian is one of Melbourne’s favourite food people – so much so that he recently picked up a Trailblazer Award from Food & Drink Victoria. Now, after generously opening his home to us, he’s kindly sharing a few recipes for us to try at home. And this one, dear readers, is a certified banger.
Tom’s no stranger to hummus. It’s the dish that put him on the map, having served up his celebrated version of the Middle Eastern chickpea dip at venues like former CBD restaurant Bar Saracen, and later retailing it to huge demand. It’s very good stuff. So, when he comes up with a recipe that involves his hummus, we’re all in.
This is a classic Arabic dish of hummus topped with lamb cooked with onions, spices and nuts. “To me, this is the most delicious way to enjoy hummus, and proof that it’s much more than just a dip,” Tom says. Having tried it both made by Tom and made by ourselves at home, we can confirm without a shadow of a doubt the insane simplicity-to-impressiveness ratio of this dish.
Victorians will be able to find his Sarafian hummus in various delis and grocers, but for anyone interstate, choose the best-quality hummus you can find. Aleppo pepper is utterly delicious and easily found in Middle Eastern grocers, but know that you can use chilli flakes or a mix of sweet and hot paprika in a pinch. And if you can get your hands on real Lebanese pine nuts, they will also make all the difference here.
You’re going to need some good bread and pickles to serve with this dish. And to seal the meal, a glass of riesling is Tom’s pick to pair with all those sweet spices and heat from the Aleppo pepper. He’s firmly in favour of the Mac Forbes Strathbogie Riesling – as are we.
Ingredients
1 jar Sarafian hummus (300g), or quality hummus
80g butter 20g slivered almonds 20g pine nuts ½ brown onion, finely diced 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced 300g minced lamb Sea salt 1 tsp Aleppo pepper ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground allspice ¼ tsp ground black pepper Pinch of smoked paprika, plus extra for garnish ⅓ bunch parsley, roughly chopped
Method
Remove jar of hummus from fridge and place on bench to come to room temperature, around 15 minutes
Take a medium-sized saucepan and add the butter and nuts. Fry on a low heat, stirring constantly until nuts are lightly golden brown Add onion and garlic to the fried nuts, stir well and continue to cook for 5 minutes until onions are soft Add the lamb, salt and spices Use a wooden spoon to break up the lamb and continue to cook on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally Remove from heat, stir in parsley and taste, adjust the seasoning to your liking (if your spices are a little old, you might find you need more) To serve, spoon hummus onto a plate or bowl and make a well in the centre, then spoon lamb into the well and garnish with paprika Enjoy with your favourite bread and pickles
