Feeding Creative Genius with Hummus

I came to Panama to write a book. I came to Boquete specifically because it seemed like a great place to do so...and also because it is the Panamanian mecca of fresh local food...and there's a Tuesday farmer's market that caters to gringa tastes like mine, with organic and hydroponic vegetables, export-grade local coffee, a used English book seller (who also sells stamps and will take your letters to friends in the States, stuff them in a bag and give them to the next expat with room in their suitcase to drop in a U.S. mail box once they're stateside), a honey lady (OMG, DELICIOUS local honey), and a guy who sharpens kitchen knives.

I mean, what else could I possibly need?

Oh. I mean, as long as I'm focusing on a "this, or something better" concept over at my other blog, I may as well ask for some perks. Let's see...how bout an English speaking local theater? OKAY.

First I got roped into bartending at a show by my landlady. It was called Rabbit Hole, and watching it gave me a lump in my throat that turned into open sobbing at the final performance. Then I got an email. They were auditioning for one act plays; did I want to try out?

Bench Warmers opened today. I'm in two shows. In one, I'm a depressed woman trying to jump to her death at Iguazu Falls on the Argentine Brazilian border, but I am thwarted by a super tourist who won't shut up or go away. In the second, I am a woman who leaves her husband and goes on the vacation they were supposed to have together at the Grand Canyon, only to break down sobbing and be comforted by an old lonely curmudgeon whose dead wife accompanied him on the trip she always wanted them to take together...but she died before they came.

And in between all my jumping and sobbing, I somehow also help feed the cast and crew.

Hummus goes great with all the local vegetables available here, and also with fresh bread, and crackers, and breadsticks, and...well, pretty much anything. I got at least three requests for the recipe, so I decided it was worth posting again.

So, without further ado, one of my favorite recipes from Savoring Chelan:

Terrie's Famous Hummus with a Kick 

Prep time: 10 minutes
Serves 4

1 can garbanzo beans (16 oz.)
2 tablespoons Tahini
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon or less African cayenne pepper
Small bunch cilantro

Open the can of garbanzo beans, pour out half the liquid, and put the rest in food processor. Add Tahini, garlic, honey and African cayenne; blend until smooth and creamy. Throw a handful of fresh cilantro in at the end for taste and color.

Recipe Tips
Try substituting peanut butter for Tahini.
Take the green growth out of the center of the garlic clove; it makes it bitter.

Contributed to Savoring Chelan: Pairing Local Wines with Regional Recipes by Terrie Holm-Nielsen.

Panamanian Summer Rolls

It's summer in Panama. In the small town of Boquete, that means that it's sunny and windy almost every day.
The rainy season starts in April, and I'm not quite sure what that will mean for my produce consumption. For now, however, I am thoroughly enjoying the mountains of fresh greens that I have to choose from, and the well-established farms and providers who make it easy for me to get otherwise hard-to-find items, like rice wraps. Access to international items is one of the advantages of living in an expat community, with international tastes like mine.

My neighbor stopped by on a walk with her dog and tasted one, then asked me if I might be interested in catering a house-warming party for her in May! Sometimes all it takes is a well-made meal to open doors, and hearts.

So here's my take on fresh spring rolls. Keep in mind that I used what ingredients I had available; create yours as you see fit.

Panamanian Summer Rolls

Dressing
1/4 cup goat yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh thinly sliced ginger
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Filling
Instead of measuring, I simply filled a medium-sized bowl with a mix of the following:
Fresh basil
Fresh arugula
Fresh salad mix (romaine, butter lettuce, and dandelion)
Shaved carrots
Cucumbers, sliced julienne style

4 Vietnamese rice wrappers
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Make dressing and set aside to let the flavors meld.

Meanwhile, chop or tear filling ingredients until you've filled a medium sized bowl.
Hint: tearing instead of chopping will make the leaves last longer without browning.

Toast walnuts in a dry pan, stirring occasionally, until aromatic -- about 5 minutes.

Toss filling, walnuts and dressing in bowl.  

Fill a large plate with water. One at a time, dunk the rice wrap in the water, coating completely. Count to 10, remove the wrapper and place on a cutting board. Place filling in the middle of the wrap and fold sides to make either open-ended or closed summer rolls. Repeat until all wraps are filled or you run out of filling. Enjoy in the sun, perhaps with a glass of cold white wine.

Local Myth Greek Salad

Photo by Richard Uhlhorn

I went for a walk this morning and felt the heat starting to cook me, even though it was only 9 a.m. When it's this hot, salads are the only thing that won't make you sweatier in your kitchen. This one, from the popular and delicious Local Myth Pizza in Chelan, is guaranteed to be delicious and well worth the time it takes to put it together.


Local Myth Greek Salad
Prep time: 20 minutes
Set time: 12 hours (optional)
Serves 6-8

Dressing
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1-2 cloves of garlic
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salad
8 cups romaine hearts (a family-sized bag)
1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and torn into pieces, or wedges
1/3 cup red onion, cut into quarters and sliced thin
1/3 cup Feta cheese
1/2 cup Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced, or halved cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon toasted pine nuts (see recipe tips for toasting directions)
Pepperoncini peppers for garnish

Put all dressing ingredients except for the olive oil in a blender and mix well. Slowly add the olive oil to emulsify the dressing (to make it thick and creamy.) If it comes out runny, you have ‘broken’ it. The dressing will still taste okay, but the creamy look and feel is lost.
For best results, refrigerate the dressing overnight and add more olive oil if needed.
Wash, dry, and chill the romaine hearts for 10 minutes before cutting them into large pieces. Put the cut romaine in a mixing bowl and add the dressing. Add olives, red onion, feta and tomatoes. Toss the salad until thoroughly coated with dressing. Garnish with pepperoncinis and pine nuts.

Contributed to Savoring Chelan: Pairing Local Wines with Regional Recipes by Art Sill, co-owner of Local Myth Pizza in Chelan.

Terrie’s Famous Hummus With a Kick

The carrots are out at the Farmer’s Markets, and they are DELICIOUS. Hummus is a fantastic healthy dip for any fresh veggies, and one of my personal favorites with fresh carrots. It’s also great with celery, peppers, pita chips, bread, or on wraps as a spread.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Serves 4

1 can garbanzo beans (16 oz.)
2 tablespoons Tahini
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon or less African cayenne pepper
Small bunch cilantro

Open the can of garbanzo beans, pour out half the liquid, and put the rest in food processor. Add Tahini, garlic, honey and African cayenne; blend until smooth and creamy. Throw a handful of fresh cilantro in at the end for taste and color.

Recipe Tips
Try substituting peanut butter for Tahini.
Take the green growth out of the center of the garlic clove; it makes it bitter.

Contributed to Savoring Chelan: Pairing Local Wines with Regional Recipes by Terrie Holm-Nielsen, co-owner and designer at Columbia Furniture in Chelan and Wenatchee.