Our entertaining editor, Tamberlyn Dobrowski, shares with us her favorite appetizers that will get you ready for a super bowl party.
BA's Best Guacamole
It takes a while for the avocado to absorb all the flavors you add to it. So if you ever find yourself wondering if your guac is spicy (or salty, or limey) enough, wait a few minutes before you add more so that you don’t accidentally overseason it. This is part of BA’s Best, a collection of our essential recipes.
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe Hass avocados
- ¼ white onion, finely chopped
- 1 serrano chile, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro, plus more for serving
- Toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds; optional) and chips (for serving)
Directions
Smash avocados with a potato masher or fork in a medium bowl or with a molcajete (a Mexican mortar and pestle) until very coarsely mashed. Mix in onion, chile, garlic, lime juice, salt, and ¼ cup cilantro. Taste and add more lime juice, if desired. Top with pepitas (if using) and more cilantro; serve with chips alongside.
Recipe from Rick Martinez, bon appétit, October 2016
Hummus with Roasted Tomatoes and Almonds
Roasting the tomatoes low and slow concentrates all their sweetness and complexity of flavor and preserves them so they last for days. This recipe is from Tusk in Portland, OR.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup skin-on almonds
- 4 cups mixed cherry tomatoes
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 3 garlic cloves. crushed
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt
- 2 cups Creamy Hummus with Cumin (see recipe below)
- ¼ cup very coarsely chopped cilantro
- Nigella seeds (for serving)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until slightly darkened in color and fragrant, 7–10 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Reduce oven temperature to 250°.
Toss tomatoes, thyme, and garlic with 1 tablespoon oil on a clean rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Roast until tomatoes are softened and shriveled but not mushy, 1–1½ hours; pluck out thyme and garlic and discard (makes about 2¼ cups).
Spread hummus on a plate and top with about 1 cup roasted tomatoes (reserve remaining tomatoes for another use). Drizzle with remaining 3 tablespoons oil and top with cilantro and toasted almonds. Sprinkle with nigella seeds.
Recipe from Sam Smith of Tusk, bon appétit, July 2017
Do Ahead: Tomatoes can be roasted 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Reheat gently before serving.
Creamy Hummus with Cumin
Don’t be afraid to let the food processor run the full 2 minutes. It’s one of the keys to supersmooth, aerated hummus. This recipe is from Tusk in Portland, OR.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dried chickpeas
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 garlic cloves, 2 smashed, 1 finely grated
- 1 dried red chile (such as chile de árbol)
- 1 bay leaf
- ⅓ cup (or more) fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt
- 1 cup tahini
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Directions
Combine chickpeas and baking soda in a medium bowl and pour in cold water to cover by 2″. Cover and let sit 8–12 hours.
Drain chickpeas, rinse, and place in a large saucepan along with smashed garlic, chile, and bay leaf. Pour in cold water to cover by 2″. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer gently, skimming foam occasionally from surface, until chickpeas are falling apart, 35–45 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1 cup cooking liquid. Pluck out and discard garlic, chile, and bay leaf.
Combine grated garlic, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in a food processor and let sit until the bite in garlic mellows, about 5 minutes. Add tahini and ½ cup ice water and process until smooth. With the motor running, slowly stream in oil. Season with another large pinch of salt. Add chickpeas and cumin and process until hummus is very smooth, light, and creamy, about 2 minutes. It will tighten up as it cools, so it should be loose to the point of being pourable at this stage. If it looks thick, thin with chickpea cooking liquid, pulsing in by the tablespoonful until you reach the right consistency. Taste hummus and season with salt and more lemon juice if needed.
Recipe from Sam Smith of Tusk, bon appétit, July 2017
Do Ahead: Hummus can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
